00:00Nuclear neighbors, India and Pakistan are engaged in deadly clashes across the line
00:08of control, sparking fears of a major conflict breaking out.
00:13Diplomatic relations have come to a standstill, and hyper-nationalists on both sides of the
00:17border are sounding out war cries, and peace has taken a back seat.
00:23But in the UAE, where 2.6 million Indians and 1.2 million Pakistanis co-exist, there
00:30are no flare-ups, but only friendship that goes beyond politics.
00:53India and Pakistan are engaged in deadly clashes across the line of control, sparking
01:18fears of a major conflict breaking out, and peace has taken a back seat.
01:30In fact, because I'm from Pakistan, and my roots are actually from India, and a lot of
01:34people in India have roots from Pakistan, so I think either of the countries, I mean
01:40Pakistan and India saying, going to war with each other, for me, it's pretty much like
01:44us going to war with ourselves.
01:47So that's pretty much it, we don't believe in all of that, we're pretty happy with each
01:52other.
01:53We are at a workers' accommodation in the Muzaffar Industrial Area in Abu Dhabi, where
01:59more than 100 blue-collar workers, both from India and Pakistan, are residing.
02:05Even while sharing the same living space, they have only stories of friendship and harmony
02:10to share.
02:12We are all brothers and sisters, we don't have any problems, we are all friends, we
02:18don't have any conflicts in the country.
02:21We come to this country to earn, so we should all be together, as friends, as brothers,
02:27and what is happening in our homes, it shouldn't be happening in this country.
02:33Why is it not good for the government here, and for this country?
02:37Why is this country giving us work?
02:40There is a lot of conflict between India and Pakistan, but here, you have a friend,
02:44a Pakistani friend.
02:45How is that?
02:46We have left the country, we are all brothers, but we have left India and Pakistan, and
02:53now we are here in Abu Dhabi.
02:56We have come here for work, and they have come here for work.
03:01There is no problem in our relationship.
03:04Our room is Pakistani, and the other room is also Pakistani.
03:08One room is Indian, we don't have any problem with each other.
03:12As people who share the same dreams and aspirations of building a better life for themselves and
03:18their families, Indian and Pakistani expatriates in the UAE remain insulated from the political
03:24clashes gripping their countries back home.
03:27Their only hope is their peaceful coexistence and friendship will resonate with their respective
03:33countries in India and Pakistan.
03:35Anjana Shankar for Express.
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