The Heat: 70th anniversary of Pakistan-India partition

The Heat

70 years-ago Pakistan and India were carved from the former British Empire as independent nations — leading to one of the largest human migrations in history.

Hindu and Muslim neighbors became more fearful of each other. The ensuing violence killed hundreds of thousands.

More than 12 million people fled — Hindus afraid they wouldn’t be welcome in the Islamic state of Pakistan, and Muslims worried they’d suffer under India’s Hindu majority.

70 years and three wars later, suspicion and tension remains — with both countries now armed with nuclear weapons.

Tonight’s panel takes a historic look at the partition and where both countries are at politically and social:

  • Nasir Naveed, resident scholar with INDUS – a think tank focusing on issues affecting Pakistan
  • Mohan Guruswamy, a Distinguished fellow at the United Service Institution of India
  • Sadanand Dhume, a Resident Fellow with the American Enterprise Institute
  • Mosharraf Zaidi, a former principal adviser to the Foreign Minister