Seven decades on, Sikh visits graves of Pakistanis who saved family from partition bloodshed

Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, an American Sikh of Indian descent, poses with Pakistani lawmaker Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk (left), at the graves of Virk’s parents in Gujranwala, Pakistan, on November 28, 2021 (Photo Courtesy: Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia)
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Updated 08 December 2021
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Seven decades on, Sikh visits graves of Pakistanis who saved family from partition bloodshed

  • Partition in 1947 following India’s independence from British triggered one of the biggest forced migrations in history
  • As Butalia’s grandparents fled Gujranwala for Ferozepore, they were sheltered for over a month in Lahore by the Virk family

KARACHI: In August 1947, as British India was being partitioned into independent India and Pakistan, Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia’s grandparents fled their village in Gujranwala district, in what was soon to become Pakistan, for Ferozepore, in what was soon to become India.

All around them was carnage — a bloody orgy of violence and communal rioting that they were able to escape by sheltering for over a month at the home of a Muslim couple in what is now the central Pakistani city of Lahore.

Last month, Butalia, an American Sikh of Indian descent who has a PhD in civil engineering, arrived at his ancestral village in Gujranwala district from Colombus, Ohio, to visit the graves of the Muslim friends who had saved his grandparents’ lives over seven decades ago.




Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, an American Sikh of Indian descent, kisses the grave of Bashir Ahmed Virk, a Pakistani Muslim who saved his grandparents’ lives during independence riots in 1947. Photo taken in Gujranwala, Pakistan, on November 28, 2021 (Photo Courtesy Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia)

The partition in 1947, following India’s independence from British rule, triggered one of the biggest forced migrations in history, marred by bloodshed, as about 15 million Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs, fearing discrimination and violence, swapped countries in a political upheaval that cost more than a million lives.

During the chaotic transition, train cars full of bodies arrived at railway stations in the twin cities of Lahore and Amritsar in the province of Punjab, split roughly down the middle at partition on August 14, 1947.

Many survivors of the bloodshed found themselves separated from family on the other side of a hastily drawn-up border.

It was in these circumstances that Bashir Ahmed Virk, a Muslim tax and revenue officer posted in Lahore, provided shelter to his friend Captain Ajit Singh Butalia, along with his wife Narinder Kaur and their two little children, as they tried to make their way to Indian Punjab.

“Virk and his family took extremely good care of them,” Butalia, 56, told Arab News in a telephone interview this week, saying he grew up hearing stories about the Virk family’s generosity from his grandparents and parents.




An undated photo of Captain Ajit Singh Butalia and his wife Sardarni Narinder Kaur (Photo Courtesy: Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia)

In a book called “My Journey Home” that Butalia published last year, he said his grandparents had initially decided to stay put in their ancestral village of Butala in what is today the Pakistani part of the Punjab after being assured of safety by local Muslims. But when the family home was set on fire by a Muslim mob in September 1947, it became clear that the place where the Butalia family had lived for generations was no longer home.

“It was September 1947 — the Butala Sardars left their ancestral village Butala Sardar Jhanda Singh near Gujranwala,” Butalia wrote. “My grandfather Capt. Ajit Singh Butalia (retired) wore a round turban similar to a Muslim man, my grandmother (Sardarni Narinder Kaur Butalia) a burqa, holding their 3 month old son Col. Sarabjit Singh Butalia (retired) in her arms, put 2 year old Squadron Leader Narinderjit Singh Butalia (retired) on a donkey and the Butala Sardars left their ancestral village on foot for good — never to return again.”

“My grandparents walked several days toward a refugee camp, near Gujranwala. When they arrived, the British officer in charge discovered that my grandfather had served in the British Army and took it upon himself to facilitate his family across the border. On the way from the camp to the border, a mob of Muslims stopped the vehicle and demanded that the Sikh family be handed over to them. My grandfather recognized some of the men in the mob and they decided instead to take the family to Lahore to stay with one of my grandfather’s friend. What a change of heart — from mobsters to shelter providers.”

For about a month, the Butalias then lived in the home of Virk, whose family provided them with clothing and food (including non-halal meat).




An undated photo of Bashir Ahmed Virk, a Pakistani official who saved the lives of a Sikh couple by giving refuge to them at his Lahore house in September 1947 (Photo Courtesy: Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia)

“The neighbors began to suspect that a Sikh family might be hiding in the home of a Muslim,” Butalia wrote in his book. “One Friday when my grandfather’s friend went to the mosque for prayers, the Imam pulled him aside and inquired about who was staying at his home. He replied that it was his brother and his family. The Imam then asked him to swear upon the Qur’an that it was his brother’s family. This unknown friend of my grandfather swore upon the Qur’an that this was his brother’s family.”

Explaining that the oath had not been a false one, Butalia told Arab News: “He truly looked at my grandfather as his brother.”

“For every partition story of human failings, of horror and savagery, there is an even more compelling human story of compassion, love, and friendship at great personal peril,” Butalia wrote.

Indeed, such stories of camaraderie as found between the Butalias and Virks were not rare in pre-partition India, even if they are hard to imagine since 1947 when departing British colonial administrators ordered the creation of two countries, one mostly Muslim and one majority Hindu. Today, India and Pakistan are arch-rivals who have fought three wars and continue to have tense relations, particularly when it comes to the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both claim in full.

Ties between family and friends on either side of the border continue to be unimpeded by travel curbs or poisoned by nationalist bluster.

But this did not stop Butalia from hoping to visit his family’s ancestral village in Pakistan and pay homage to their Pakistani friends.

When his book was published in December last year, a Pakistani academic in Lahore, Kalyan Singh, who was already aware of the link between the Butalias and the Virks, helped Butalia find the family in Gujranwala. Singh also subsequently introduced Butalia to Mahmood Bashir Virk, a successful politician from Gujranwala and the son of Bashir Ahmed Virk.

“This is how I got connected,” Butalia said. “It almost sounds impossible, but I finally found the family after 70 years!”




Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia, an American Sikh of Indian descent, meets with Pakistani lawmaker Chaudhry Mehmood Bashir Virk (left) at Virk’s village in Gujranwala, Pakistan, on November 28, 2021 (Photo Courtesy: Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia)

“I was a child but I still remember there were killings going on in the surrounding villages,” Mahmood told Arab News. “However, our village was peaceful, which was largely because of my father. He told me during the last days of his life that he saved people since he was trying to prepare for the hereafter.”

Last year, Butalia arrived in Gujranwala and met Virk. This year, he returned with one goal: to visit the graves of his family’s saviors.

“I visited their resting places, though I know I can never thank them enough for what they have done,” he said. “As I bode farewell to them, I knelt down to kiss their graves and prayed: ‘May everyone in the world be like you, Bashir Ahmed Virk and Amna Bibi.’”


Pakistan’s top revenue-generating Sindh province unveils $12.4 billion budget with major tax cuts

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Pakistan’s top revenue-generating Sindh province unveils $12.4 billion budget with major tax cuts

  • Sindh, home to commercial hub Karachi, wants to abolish five taxes to ease pressure on individuals, businesses
  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, governed by jailed ex-PM Khan’s PTI, presents $7.63 billion budget for FY2025-26

KARACHI: Pakistan’s southern Sindh province on Friday proposed abolishing five taxes as it presented a Rs3.45 trillion ($12.41 billion) new budget for fiscal year 2025-26 to simplify taxation and alleviate financial pressure on people and small businesses.

Friday also saw Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province announcing a surplus budget of Rs2,119 billion ($7.63 billion) for next year, without proposing any new taxes. The province allocated significant financial resources for the militancy-hit tribal districts and social welfare programs, according to the budget document.

SINDH

Sindh’s budget, which carries a deficit of Rs38.46 billion ($138.35 million), includes plans to eliminate professional tax, cotton fee and entertainment duty among other levies as part of broader reforms to support salaried individuals, small businesses, and cultural industries.

“I would like to share some important changes being planned to make our tax system simpler and to reduce the financial burden on both individuals and businesses,” Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said while presenting the budget in the provincial assembly.

Sindh generates most of Pakistan’s revenues, more than 60 percent, and is the second most populous province ruled by Pakistan People’s Party of President Asif Ali Zardari, a coalition partner of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party which leads the federal government.

Pakistan remains under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan program approved last year and the Washington-based lender wants Islamabad to broaden its tax base by taxing incomes from agriculture, retail and real estate sectors at the provincial level.

The two provinces announced their new fiscal plans days after Pakistan’s federal government announced its FY26 budget targeting 4.2 percent economic growth, while aiming to arrest fiscal deficit at 3.9 percent of the GDP.

In Sindh, the province’s total revenue receipts are projected at Rs3.41 trillion ($12.27 billion) for FY2025-26, up 11.6 percent from the current fiscal year ending June. Transfers from the federal divisible pool, which account for 75 percent of revenue, are expected to rise 10.2 percent to Rs1.93 trillion ($6.94 billion). With additional grants and straight transfers, total federal receipts are estimated at Rs2.10 trillion ($7.55 billion).

Current Revenue Expenditure (CRE) has been set at Rs2.15 trillion ($7.73 billion), a 12.4 percent increase from the prior year, driven by higher salaries, pensions, and grants to non-financial institutions.

Allocations for key sectors have seen marked increases. The education budget has risen to Rs523.73 billion ($1.88 billion) – a 12.4 percent hike – with major investments in primary and secondary education. New initiatives include hiring 4,400 staff, opening four community colleges, and funding for 34,100 primary schools through cost centers.

The health sector will receive Rs326.5 billion ($1.17 billion), up 8 percent, including Rs19 billion ($68.35 million) for the Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation (SIUT) and Rs10 billion ($35.97 million) for a new hospital in Larkana.

Enhanced ambulance and mobile diagnostic services are also planned.

Grants-in-aid total Rs702 billion ($2.53 billion), reflecting allocations for hospitals, universities, and development bodies. A Rs520 billion ($1.87 billion) Annual Development Program (ADP) focuses on 475 new schemes targeting flood recovery, renewable energy, and underserved regions.

Karachi, the provincial capital of Sindh, will see major upgrades in transport and infrastructure. Fifty electric buses will launch this year, with 100 more expected by August. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Yellow Line is nearing completion, and the Red Line has passed the halfway mark.

The Karachi Safe City initiative will expand CCTV coverage using artificial intelligence, while blockchain-based land records, a KPI monitoring dashboard, and digital birth registration aim to enhance governance.

In rural areas, Rs20 billion ($71.95 million) has been allocated for pro-poor initiatives, while the new Benazir Hari Card will support 200,000 farmers. The Sindh Cooperative Bank is being explored to provide interest-free loans to progressive farmers.

KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Presenting the new budget, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Finance Minister Aftab Alam said the province achieved a Rs100 billion ($359.71 million) surplus in the outgoing fiscal year despite receiving Rs90 billion ($323.74 million) less in funds from the federal government.

The province is ruled by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is in opposition at the federal level.

“Against all odds and skepticism, we not only met our budget targets but also ensured timely debt repayments of Rs49 billion [$176.26 million],” Alam said.

He added that KP’s own non-tax revenues rose by 74 percent this year, while the KP Revenue Authority collected Rs41.37 billion ($148.79 million) in the first 10 months of the outgoing fiscal year.

The province has set a tax revenue target of Rs83.5 billion ($300 million) and a non-tax revenue target of Rs45.5 billion ($163.71 million) for the next fiscal year, aiming to widen the tax net rather than impose new levies.

Federal transfers, including Rs1,147.91 billion ($4.13 billion) from tax revenues and Rs58.15 billion ($209.17 million) in oil windfall levy, are expected to form the bulk of receipts.

The tribal districts are set to receive Rs292.34 billion ($1.05 billion), including Rs50 billion ($179.85 million) under an accelerated implementation program and Rs39 billion ($140.28 million) for development.

Key initiatives include the expansion of the Sehat Card Plus with life insurance coverage, recruitment of 16,000 teachers, and establishment of new degree colleges.

The province’s police force will receive Rs693.7 million ($2.49 million) for modern arms and Rs1.22 billion ($4.39 million) for vehicles.
 


IFC to provide $400 million loan for Pakistan’s copper-gold Reko Diq mine

Updated 41 min 32 sec ago
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IFC to provide $400 million loan for Pakistan’s copper-gold Reko Diq mine

  • The loan adds to a $300 million commitment announced in April, bringing the total to $700 million
  • Reko Diq, one of the largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits, is being developed by Barrick Gold

ISLAMABAD: The International Finance Corporation will provide a $400 million subordinated loan for Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper-gold mine, according to an IFC disclosure on Friday.

The loan adds to a $300 million commitment announced in April, bringing IFC’s total financing for the project to $700 million. The estimated cost of the mine is $6.6 billion, to be funded through a mix of debt and equity from a consortium of lenders.

“The estimated total Project cost is $6.6bn, and it will be financed using a combination of debt and equity,” the disclosure said, adding that other parallel lenders will provide the remaining debt financing.

This type of loan, known as subordinated debt, is typically repaid after other senior loans and helps absorb more risk, making it easier for other lenders to invest.

Other financiers, including the US EXIM Bank, Asian Development Bank, Export Development Canada, and Japan’s JBIC, are also expected to join the financing package, project director Tim Cribb told Reuters in April.

Term sheets are expected to close by early in the third quarter. IFC chief Makhtar Diop said earlier this year that the institution was “doubling down” on Pakistan, with a focus on infrastructure, energy and natural resources.

Reko Diq, located in Balochistan, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. It is being developed by Barrick Gold, which holds 50 percent, with the remainder split between Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments.

Production is expected to begin in 2028. Barrick has projected the mine will generate up to $74 billion in free cash flow over its estimated 37-year life.


Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

  • Analysts cite fears of broader regional escalation following Israeli strikes on Iran
  • Israel struck Iran, claiming Tehran was “close” to developing a nuclear weapon

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) plunged more than 1,900 points on Friday, as investor sentiment soured following Israel’s strikes on Iran, triggering fears of wider regional escalation.

The benchmark KSE-100 index fell 1,949.56 points, or 1.57 percent, closing at 122,143.56, down from the previous close of 124,093.12.

Shares traded largely in the red, mirroring losses across regional and global markets after the Israeli attacks shook investor confidence, according to a market review by Pakistani brokerage Topline Securities.

“Geopolitical tensions after Israel’s attack in Iran weighed down on world equities, including the KSE100,” Raza Jafri, Head of Intermarket Securities, told Arab News. “In particular, if a geopolitical risk premium gets added to international oil prices on a prolonged basis, it could negatively affect the outlook for the current account deficit and inflation, given more than 25 percent of Pakistan’s import bill comprises of petroleum products.”

He noted that Pakistan was now “much more disciplined” economically, having avoided fuel subsidies and refrained from using foreign exchange reserves to support the currency. This, he said, would help the country better withstand a potential oil price shock than in the past.

Ahsan Mehanti, Chief Executive of Arif Habib Commodities Ltd, said stocks declined across the board in response to the strikes.

“Slump in global equities on geopolitical risks and weakening rupee played catalyst role in panic selling at PSX,” he said.

Israel launched strikes on Iran earlier on Friday, claiming Tehran was “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon. The attacks reportedly targeted nuclear facilities, scientists, and senior military commanders.
 


Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan stocks drop over 1,900 points amid Israel-Iran tensions

  • Analysts cite fears of broader regional escalation following Israeli strikes on Iran
  • Israel struck Iran, claiming Tehran was “close” to developing a nuclear weapon

KARACHI: The Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) plunged more than 1,900 points on Friday, as investor sentiment soured following Israel’s strikes on Iran, triggering fears of wider regional escalation.

The benchmark KSE-100 index fell 1,949.56 points, or 1.57 percent, closing at 122,143.56, down from the previous close of 124,093.12.

Shares traded largely in the red, mirroring losses across regional and global markets after the Israeli attacks shook investor confidence, according to a market review by Pakistani brokerage Topline Securities.

“Geopolitical tensions after Israel’s attack in Iran weighed down on world equities, including the KSE100,” Raza Jafri, Head of Intermarket Securities, told Arab News. “In particular, if a geopolitical risk premium gets added to international oil prices on a prolonged basis, it could negatively affect the outlook for the current account deficit and inflation, given more than 25 percent of Pakistan’s import bill comprises of petroleum products.”

He noted that Pakistan was now “much more disciplined” economically, having avoided fuel subsidies and refrained from using foreign exchange reserves to support the currency. This, he said, would help the country better withstand a potential oil price shock than in the past.

Ahsan Mehanti, Chief Executive of Arif Habib Commodities Ltd, said stocks declined across the board in response to the strikes.

“Slump in global equities on geopolitical risks and weakening rupee played catalyst role in panic selling at PSX,” he said.

Israel launched strikes on Iran earlier on Friday, claiming Tehran was “very close” to developing a nuclear weapon. The attacks reportedly targeted nuclear facilities, scientists, and senior military commanders.
 


Pakistan urges religious devotees to postpone travel to Iran, Iraq amid regional tensions

Updated 13 June 2025
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Pakistan urges religious devotees to postpone travel to Iran, Iraq amid regional tensions

  • A senior government official says currently there are an estimated 5,000 Zaireen in Iran
  • Israel launched strikes against Iranian military and nuclear facilities earlier in the day

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday advised its citizens planning religious travel to Iran and Iraq to reconsider their plans, citing security concerns after Israeli strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities earlier in the day.

The advisory mentions Pakistani “Zaireen,” or Shi’ite Muslim pilgrims who travel to Iran and Iraq to visit sacred religious sites, particularly in Mashhad, Qom, Najaf and Karbala.

The region has seen heightened tensions following Israeli attacks on key installations in Iran, prompting fears of broader instability.

“In view of the evolving security situation in the region, the Zaireen from Pakistan are advised to reconsider their travel plans to Iran and Iraq,” the foreign office said in a brief statement issued in Islamabad.

According to a senior government official who spoke on condition of anonymity, the number of Zaireen traveling to Iran fluctuates, and most do not contact the Pakistani diplomatic missions.

“Currently, there are an estimated 5,000 Zaireen in Iran,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s embassy in Tehran and its consulates remain available to assist citizens.

“Any Pakistani requiring guidance or support is encouraged to contact our relevant diplomatic missions, which will, as always, provide necessary assistance and facilitate their return to Pakistan,” the official added.

While no evacuation plans have been announced, the authorities say they are closely monitoring the regional situation.