About Us

ABOUT FIVE RIVERS FRIENDSHIP FORUM

Five Rivers Friendship Forum is a beacon of hope, bridging the divide between Pakistan and India. It is a space where people from both nations can come together and nurture the seeds of friendship, networking, and collaboration. Our platform serves as a fertile ground for incubating ideas that have the power to shape a brighter future for both countries. Together, we can create a brighter tomorrow filled with mutual understanding, respect, and cooperation.

We at Five Rivers Friendship Forum host various events and activities, including conferences, meetings, and cultural exchanges. These events provide an opportunity for people from both countries to come together and learn from one another and share ideas and experiences.

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OUR BRIEF HISTORY

The Subcontinent, comprising modern-day India and Pakistan, has a rich and complex history. It has been shaped by various influences, including ancient civilizations, colonizers, and independence movements.

In 1947, the Subcontinent gained independence from British colonial rule and was partitioned into two countries: India and Pakistan. In the years afterward, India and Pakistan have developed distinct identities and pursued their own development paths. However, the two countries have also faced a number of challenges, including border disputes, terrorism, and strained relations.

Five Rivers Friendship Forum was created as an effort to engage immigrants who trace their origins from both sides of the Radcliffe Line (the border between India and Pakistan). The goal behind the creation of this forum was to foster greater understanding and cooperation between the two nations.

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PARTITION STORIES

THE RECOLLECTIONS OF INDO-PAK PARTITION

The partition of India and Pakistan was a momentous event that shaped the course of history for both countries. It was also a time of great turmoil as millions of people fled their homes and sought safety across the newly-drawn border. Many families were torn apart, friendships were lost, and many became victims of violence.

Here, we have compiled a collection of personal accounts and historical documents related to the partition of the Indian Subcontinent in 1947. These accounts offer a glimpse into the struggles, sacrifices, and triumphs of the individuals who lived through this period and served as a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit.

MISSION

“Five Rivers Friendship Forum” is a social, educational and cultural organization formed to promote mutual understanding, reduce hatred and tensions and enhance people-to-people relationships and cooperation between India and Pakistan. The forum will recognize and reward social media influencers and individuals with distinct contributions to peace efforts.

TEAM MEMBERS

Prof. Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Phd

Prof. Emeritus of Political Science at Stockholm University; widely read author of several seminal and international award-winning books on Jinnah and the partition of the Indian subcontinent.

Dr. Chander Pal Sharma, Phd

Biotech Entrepreneur and Philanthropist.

Dr. Shalley Kant Gupta, Phd

Biotech and Pharmaceutical industry professional.

Shakeel Chaudhary

Pakistani journalist, Political analyst, and YouTuber.

Dr. Qamar Cheema, Phd

Strategic & Political analyst and YouTuber.

Attorney Khalid Kahloon

Highly regarded former state and federal prosecutor with over 20 years of experience in the United States.

RANGE OF ACTIVITIES

  • Networking with Like-Minded Organizations
  • Blog
  • Recognition/Awards for Individuals and Organizations
  • Online forum
  • Book Reviews and Suggested Readings
  • Symposia and Meetings
  • Partition stories
  • Media Gallery

VISION

Five Rivers Friendship Forum is inspired by the vision outlined by the statesmen who also became the Founding Fathers of the modern states of India and Pakistan.

We aim to create a safe platform for dialogue and collaboration between India and Pakistan and to incubate ideas that can positively impact the relationship between the two, foster greater understanding, and cooperation, and work toward the realization of their founding fathers’ vision.

We at Five Rivers Friendship Forum envision a future in which the people of India and Pakistan are able to work together in harmony and cooperation, building a more peaceful and prosperous future for all.

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Nehru

NEHRU – August 14-15, 1947

Independence Day Speech to the Constituent Assembly of India

Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.

Jinnah

JINNAH – August 11, 1947

Speech to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan

Now what shall we do? Now, if we want to make this great State of Pakistan happy and prosperous, we should wholly and solely concentrate on the well-being of the people, and especially of the masses and the poor. If you will work in co-operation, forgetting the past, burying the hatchet, you are bound to succeed. If you change your past and work together in a spirit that every one of you, no matter to what community he belongs, no matter what relations he had with you in the past, no matter what is his color, caste, or creed, is first, second, and last a citizen of this State with equal rights, privileges, and obligations, there will be no end to the progress you will make.

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Maulana Abul Kalam Azad –
February 20, 1949

Convocation speech to students at Aligarh Muslim University

I am not aware what the state of your minds is today, nor in what colors the future appears to you. Does it bring to you the message of closing doors or of opening gates that introduce you to new vistas of experience? I do not know what visions are before you, but I will tell you what visions I see. You perhaps feel that doors that were open have been closed. I see that doors that were locked have now opened.

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Faiz-Ahmad Faiz – Subh-e-Azadi, 1947

ye daaġh daaġh ujālā ye shab-gazīda sahar

vo intizār thā jis kā ye vo sahar to nahīñ

ye vo sahar to nahīñ jis kī aarzū le kar

chale the yaar ki mil jā.egī kahīñ na kahīñ

falak ke dasht meñ tāroñ kī āḳhirī manzil