Rashida Zafar, a survivor of the 1947 partition, shares her harrowing experience of migrating from India to Pakistan. Her story is one of pain, loss, and the indomitable spirit of those who yearned for freedom.
As Muslim families began their journey to the newly-formed Pakistan, they were met with brutal resistance. Rashida Zafar vividly remembers the attacks on their caravans by the Indian army. “Millions of Muslims were martyred during the migration,” she says, her voice trembling with emotion.
Rashida describes the desperate condition of the displaced people. “When my father came home one day, he brought a girl with him,” she recalls. “She was just a little older than me and in a very bad state. We asked him who she was, and he replied, ‘I found her sitting under a tree. She’s a Muslim, and she’s one of us, returning from India.’”
Her father’s actions were a small example of the larger tragedy unfolding. Families were torn apart, and lives were lost in the quest for freedom. “Muslims sacrificed millions of lives to breathe in the atmosphere of freedom,” Rashida reflects. “We must appreciate this freedom, for it came at a great cost.”
Rashida Zafar’s story is a reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those who sought a homeland where they could live with dignity and freedom. Her words serve as a powerful call to honor and protect the freedom that so many gave their lives for.
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