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Britain’s new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, has inherited his Indian and Hindu heritage, but he also has roots in what is now Pakistan, in the city of Gujranwala, where his grandparents lived during British colonial rule .
During the partition that divided India and Pakistan from the former British Empire in 1947, the city witnessed some of the deadliest sectarian unrest.
Today, in Gujranwala, the industrial hub of eastern Punjab province on the border with India, many say the new British leader has a unique advantage in pushing for a solution to the crisis in Kashmir – the main battle between the two South Asian rivals point of contention.
Mr Sunak’s grandfather Ramdas Sunak and grandmother Suhag Rani lived in Gujranwala until 1935, and although most of the city’s residents today have no memory of those long-ago days, they say their victory over the 42-year-old politician Feel ecstatic.
They hope diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Britain will improve under Mr Sunak, who became Britain’s youngest prime minister on Tuesday.
Wrestler Omar Ali said it was a “happy thing” that some of the ancestors of Britain’s new prime minister had cheered from here – the sport that made Gujranwala famous.
University professor Khurram Shehzad said he hoped Mr Sunak would not only strengthen ties between Pakistan and the UK, but also usher in a “new era of success” for Pakistan and India.
The city government said most of the records were destroyed in the sectarian violence surrounding the subdivision, and there was no evidence of where Mr Sunak’s grandfather lived exactly – although it is widely believed that the Mahli set, where the city’s largely Hindu community once lived. city.
An abandoned Hindu temple is testament to community life here before division forced mass migration to India.
The name Machli Bazaar roughly translates to “fish market” and the neighborhood is known for its delicious food and restaurants.
Every year hordes of food lovers come to visit – not just for fried fish, but other delicacies.
Mr Sunak’s appointment “is an honour for us and our city and we hope that diplomatic relations between Pakistan and the UK will improve in the coming days”, said Hafiz Omar, whose family is in Mahmoud Lee Bazaar has a long history.
“It appears that Rishi Sunak’s priority is to deal with the economic challenges at home, but we hope he will also work on the Kashmir issue, which is the main cause of the rift between Pakistan and India,” said Musalla of the Punjab government. Te Jamshed Chema said the spokesman.
Relations between Pakistan and India have been strained, and they have fought two of three wars in the disputed Himalayan region, which is divided but both sides claim full rights to the region.
Mr Sunak has not been outspoken on Kashmir.
His prime ministership is likely to be dominated at home by an economic crisis that has left millions in the country struggling to pay for food and energy, and abroad, by the ongoing war in Ukraine and how to handle relations with China.
Mr Sunak’s grandparents emigrated from Punjab to East Africa in the late 1930s and eventually settled in the UK in the 1960s.
Mr Sunak was born in Southampton on the south coast of England in 1980.
In neighbouring India, where millions celebrated Diwali, a Hindu festival of light over darkness, on Monday, many were shocked by Mr Sunak’s success as the youngest British prime minister and claimed he was their own people.
They also point to another link of Mr Sunak to India – he is married to Akshata Murty, the son of Indian billionaire NR Narayana Murthy, founder of tech giant Infosys.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif tweeted his best wishes after Mr Sunak was nominated.
“Congratulations to @RishiSunak on his nomination as Conservative Leader and the next UK Prime Minister. I look forward to working with him to advance mutual interests and further deepen the lasting (Pakistan-UK) partnership,” Mr Sharif said.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also quick to congratulate him.
“When you become UK Prime Minister, I look forward to working closely on global issues and implementing the 2030 Roadmap. Special Diwali hopes for a ‘living bridge’ for British Indians as we transform our historic relationship into a modern partnership ,” Mr Modi said.
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