Patna, (Bihar Times): There is not a single Muslim living in this village, yet it is named Pakistan. This Pakistan is situated in Purnea district of Bihar. Notwithstanding recent tension and four wars the people of that village oppose change in the name of the village. This notwithstanding the demand by some people to change the name. The villagers do not want the two countries to fight.

A Lahore datelined report in a Pakistani daily quoting BBC said that the villagers want to spread the message of peace and brotherhood.

This Indian––or rather Bihari––Pakistan is a village situated on the border with West Bengal and the native Muslim population migrated to the then East Pakistan in 1947. It is in the memory of those Muslims that the locals had named the village Pakistan, said the report.

Before the State Re-organization Commission’s recommendation in 1956, the then undivided district of Purnea was contiguous to East Pakistan. However, in 1956 Islampur sub-division was given to West Bengal, which now forms the international border with Bangladesh.

Many Pakistanis have their roots in India and many of them root for India. There is Bihari Colony, Delhi Colony, Aligarh Colony etc in Pakistan, especially Karachi.

Similarly many western Punjabis living in India do not hesitate in declaring their roots. Shops like Lahori Halwa, Sialkot Sports, Peshwar Store etc can be found in many places But there is perhaps no India, Bharat or Hindustan in Pakistan and no Pakistan, barring this one, in India.

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