0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is one of the world's most dangerous borders,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08dividing two nations - India and Pakistan.
0:00:09 > 0:00:132,000 miles long, it slices through extraordinary landscapes
0:00:13 > 0:00:17and divides millions of people who once lived alongside each other.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22I'm Babita Sharma, and I'm a journalist.
0:00:22 > 0:00:24My family, as Hindus,
0:00:24 > 0:00:28were forced to move into what became independent India.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Primarily, I identify with being British.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33That's who I am, I was born and brought up in Britain.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37But I'm also really passionate about my culture as an Indian person.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42I'm going to be travelling the border from the Indian side.
0:00:44 > 0:00:45Wow! It's mind-blowing!
0:00:45 > 0:00:47I'm Adnan Sarwar.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50I was in the British Army and now work for The Economist.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53My Muslim parents were born in what is now Pakistan.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58I've got to know what it means to be a Pakistani
0:00:58 > 0:01:01and what it means to these people here living as Pakistanis, and
0:01:01 > 0:01:04what it means to my mum and dad to be Pakistanis.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06I'm going to be travelling the length of the border
0:01:06 > 0:01:11on the Pakistani side, a country that's just 70 years old.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Have you ever seen water like this? Look at the colour of it.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17When Britain gave India its independence, it split
0:01:17 > 0:01:22the nation along religious lines, carving out a new Muslim state.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25EXPLOSIONS Since then, there has been frequent conflict along this border,
0:01:25 > 0:01:27that, to this day, very few can cross.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32You can't know Pakistan unless you know partition.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36GUNSHOTS RING OUT They're just saying we want independence.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38"Go, India, go Pakistan. We just want to be free."
0:01:40 > 0:01:45Yet, after two generations apart, these two countries, with such strong ties to Britain,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48still have so much in common and so much to celebrate.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- DRUMS PLAY - It's fantastic. We're going to have a great night here tonight.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57My gosh, I've just found a whole new family I didn't even know existed.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01We are making two journeys with the same goal -
0:02:01 > 0:02:04to discover how a line on the map has altered
0:02:04 > 0:02:07the destinies of two countries that used to be one.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24For the last three weeks,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Babita and I have been travelling on either side of the border
0:02:27 > 0:02:31that divides India and Pakistan, from South to North.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36I am just on the outskirts of Islamabad, here.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39And I want to get up to Gilgit, which is here.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44We've both clocked up about 800 miles
0:02:44 > 0:02:47and we're now beginning the final leg of our journeys.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53I plan to explore Pakistan's remote North, heading to the
0:02:53 > 0:02:57city of Gilgit, passing through the Hunza Valley and ending
0:02:57 > 0:03:01my journey in Thalay, just 25 miles from the disputed border with India
0:03:01 > 0:03:04where troops face each other in a bitter stand-off.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13The two countries have fought four wars since partition -
0:03:13 > 0:03:17in 1947, '65, '71 and '99.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Getting to film with the Pakistani military is not easy,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24but weeks of trying have finally paid off.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26This is very exciting.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Today we've managed to get ourselves onto a Pakistani Air Force base,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33so we have got access to Pakistani pilots.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37Pakistan's air force plays a key role in protecting the nation.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41It's a modern military with a threat, you know,
0:03:41 > 0:03:46the next-door neighbour it's always having arguments with,
0:03:46 > 0:03:47it's had wars with.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51The Armed Forces are close to my heart.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54I spent eight years in the British Army as a Royal engineer
0:03:54 > 0:03:56and did two tours of Iraq.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59I feel at home here, because it's military.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02And I just recognise all the, you know, the barracks
0:04:02 > 0:04:05and the parade squares and things, like that, it's really cool.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Pakistan's defence budget is over £6 billion.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13That's a pretty sobering figure.
0:04:13 > 0:04:1510 times more than the government spend on education.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20The country is making huge arms deals with its neighbour, China,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22to buy fighter jets and submarines.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27And with over 600,000 military personnel,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29their Armed Forces are growing.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31..starting to ease up on the horizon.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34196 knots, starting to ease up on the horizon.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38- Pitch and roll, pitch and roll... - I'm meeting some new recruits
0:04:38 > 0:04:41and I'm surprised to see 22-year-old Rabia.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43She's one of four women on a cadet course,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45training to be a fighter pilot.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48I was just listening to you doing that.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50I think you're the kind of person I'd probably be
0:04:50 > 0:04:52copying my homework off.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55What's your background, how did you get into the air force?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58I personally do think that in modern times like this,
0:04:58 > 0:05:00women should share the responsibilities of their male
0:05:00 > 0:05:03brothers in defending their motherland.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07I get the feeling that was a bit of a rehearsed PR line.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10I may need to break out a bit of northern charm to get Rabia to open up.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15We do our simulator based training here.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I'm going to take this scarf off in case it flies off.
0:05:21 > 0:05:22There we go, we have taken off.
0:05:25 > 0:05:26This is really cool.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32It is cool, but I think it is a big responsibility on our shoulders,
0:05:32 > 0:05:35handling this aircraft.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- Yes.- It is worth a lot of money.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41See, once we are flying, we are responsible for everyone down there.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43What if this jet crashes?
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So I am responsible for myself, I am responsible for this asset
0:05:46 > 0:05:50of my nation, and I am responsible for the lives that are down there.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I find attitudes towards women in Pakistan confusing.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57On the one hand there are women like Rabia,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00but it's still a deeply conservative society, where most are
0:06:00 > 0:06:03expected to follow the traditional roles of marriage and motherhood.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07You're a female pilot in Pakistan,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10which would surprise some people, which is unfortunate,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12but it would surprise some people.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15What do your parents think about your chosen career?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18My father, he takes immense pride in this, that I am his daughter
0:06:18 > 0:06:20and I'm in the air force.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23My father is the one who encouraged me to choose this career as a girl.
0:06:25 > 0:06:29The Armed Forces and Pakistan are notoriously elitist, but unlike
0:06:29 > 0:06:32most new recruits, Rabia's family have no military connections.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35With the support of her father,
0:06:35 > 0:06:38she's been able to follow her childhood dream.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Even if you do end up becoming a commercial pilot,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43we should go and get a flight together.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- Cos they're not letting me get in this thing.- No, I would never choose to be a commercial pilot.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Never a commercial pilot, always in the military.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51OK, so you're quite proud of your country?
0:06:51 > 0:06:52Yes, I'm quite proud of my country
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and I'm quite proud of wearing this uniform.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59With relations as they are, a fifth war with their neighbours
0:06:59 > 0:07:02India isn't regarded as impossible around here.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07- Do you ever imagine going to war? - Imagine going to war?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Inshallah, if Allah gives me a chance that there will be a war,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12then I'll, inshallah, play my role in that.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Who would Pakistan be fighting?
0:07:15 > 0:07:18Anyone who are going to go against us.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20We're going to fight them back with all that we have.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Rabia straps in for a test fight.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30I'd love to jump in, but there's no room for passengers.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40When I was in the British Army, I fought in Iraq,
0:07:40 > 0:07:42thousands of miles away from home in Burnley.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45If Rabia goes to war,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48there's a good chance she'll be fighting much closer to home.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08I hope trailblazers like Rabia are changing
0:08:08 > 0:08:11the perception of what it means to be a woman in Pakistan.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14But more than that, I hope her skills are never called upon.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28She doesn't think she's cool! She's bloody cool. She's cool.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34See, it's the image of the Pakistani woman, the meek Pakistani woman,
0:08:34 > 0:08:38hiding away in the kitchen with a burqa on and stuff.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Try telling Rabia that, you know, she'll fly a jet at ya!
0:08:56 > 0:09:00I'm 300 miles from where Adnan is across the border in India
0:09:00 > 0:09:02and here they're just as battle ready.
0:09:03 > 0:09:08700,000 soldiers patrol this area, it's a militarised zone.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12One of the most militarised zones on the planet!
0:09:13 > 0:09:15But you'd never guess it from these views.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21With snow-capped mountains, green valleys and natural lakes,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23I can't wait to get going.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27The last stage of my journey starts here, in Jammu.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30I plan to head north to Katra,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34following the contested border with Pakistan to Srinagar,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38passing through Kargil, and ending my journey
0:09:38 > 0:09:40in the Buddhist enclave of Leh -
0:09:40 > 0:09:42a total of 430 miles.
0:09:43 > 0:09:48My mum came here in 1964 when she was 20.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52And she has talked about it so fondly, saying it's
0:09:52 > 0:09:55one of the most beautiful places that she's ever seen.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Yet I've grown up hearing about all the problems Kashmir has,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02the violence and the killings and the tensions.
0:10:04 > 0:10:08At partition, Jammu and Kashmir was majority Muslim, but it
0:10:08 > 0:10:13became part of India, something Pakistan refused to accept.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16The two countries have never agreed on an international border here,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20and ownership of the state has been violently disputed to this day.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26Western journalists are not welcome here, so we enter Kashmir without
0:10:26 > 0:10:31official permission, filming only on mobile phones and stills cameras.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33Feeling really nervous about it.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35We just can't risk being caught and stopped.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40'But I think it's a risk worth taking.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42'People's stories need to be heard
0:10:42 > 0:10:45because this is the sharp end of partition.'
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Thank you, Babeshji.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48Akeel!
0:10:48 > 0:10:51'My guide Akeel has been covering Kashmir's turmoils
0:10:51 > 0:10:52'since the late '90s.'
0:11:12 > 0:11:14And we're going straight into it.
0:11:15 > 0:11:16I've asked Akeel to take me
0:11:16 > 0:11:19to Jammu's heavily militarised international border,
0:11:19 > 0:11:23where India and Pakistan regularly exchange fire.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26There is the post in front of us - "Welcome to border security forces.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28"First line of defence," it says.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Looking like tourists, we step out, filming on our mobile phones.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42I'm only a few hundred metres from a Pakistani military post.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48India-Pakistan.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I'm just taking a sneaky video before we're kicked out.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52But there it is.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55"Proud to be Indian. And proud to be Muslim.
0:11:56 > 0:11:5970 years ago, I could have caught a train straight through
0:11:59 > 0:12:01here to Sialkot in Pakistan,
0:12:01 > 0:12:04but the line was abandoned after partition
0:12:04 > 0:12:06and the border closed.
0:12:06 > 0:12:07Smile!
0:12:08 > 0:12:11And we're just being watched by a lot of the security forces.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19There is an unreal edge to this place.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Although foreign media aren't welcome, local tourists are.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27There is even a sweet shop run by Makhan Singh.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28IN HINDI
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Oh, you've been born and brought up in this place?
0:12:33 > 0:12:34What's life like?
0:12:34 > 0:12:37- Risky life.- Risky life? - Yes, risky life.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42That's putting it mildly. Makhan has some unusual items on display.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45IN HINDI
0:12:47 > 0:12:48This is a mortar shell.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59POK stands for...?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Oh, wow! It hasn't blasted.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16He's just showing me some pictures of the things that he's seen.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18IN HINDI
0:13:18 > 0:13:20- So this is from the nearby... - The nearby villages.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- And this heavy shelling came from Pakistan side?- Pakistan side.
0:13:25 > 0:13:26HE SPEAKS IN HINDI
0:13:48 > 0:13:52It's hard to detect the military's strategy behind this.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55It all seems to be pretty indiscriminate.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57Makhan's saying, well, he told us about two villages that have
0:13:57 > 0:14:01been really affected by the cross-border shelling, so we're
0:14:01 > 0:14:05going to go and see if we can go and speak to a few people in the village.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20It's a border, an international border.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22And just behind it is Pakistan.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25There is the community hall.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28- Oh, you can see bullet marks. - Shell marks, bullet marks.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38You can see it riddled with shrapnel.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Pieces of shrapnel have gone straight through.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46And it goes on and on.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- This is...- This is the bunker. - This is the bunker here?- Yeah.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Akeel tells me the Indian government has built bunkers
0:15:00 > 0:15:04along the border to help protect residents from Pakistani shelling.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I'll just ask him... Uncle?
0:15:09 > 0:15:10HE REPLIES IN HINDI
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Thank you.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15'Tit-for-tat skirmishes between India and Pakistan continue to
0:15:15 > 0:15:18'plague people living on both sides of the border.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23'28 people were killed last year by cross-border shooting and shelling.'
0:15:25 > 0:15:27So, this is one of the bunkers of the village.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31And it's very well concealed because they don't want it to be
0:15:31 > 0:15:34targeted by any shelling,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36so you've got all these plants that almost look like
0:15:36 > 0:15:40it's merging into, into the village landscape here.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45This level of protection is not just for show.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32Uncle can't sit for too long, so he's just going to lie down.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40HE GROANS
0:16:51 > 0:16:54- He's tired.- He's tired.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59His son's widow is Rajni.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01Tell me what happened.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08In, in the back of the head?
0:17:16 > 0:17:18COUGHING
0:17:44 > 0:17:48'Families like Geet Singh's, who farm land along the border,
0:17:48 > 0:17:50'have nowhere else to go.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53'And it's ordinary people like them, on both sides of the line,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'who are paying the price for political tension.'
0:17:57 > 0:18:01You can just see the hopelessness in their eyes.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06That is the reality of what life is like here on the border
0:18:06 > 0:18:09between India and Pakistan.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13'The partition line may have been drawn 70 years ago but this
0:18:13 > 0:18:17'place is a reminder that this conflict is still very much alive.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:23Just 50 miles from the border,
0:18:23 > 0:18:28the fear the Indians feel is also shared here in Pakistan.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34But where I am, at 4,000 feet high up in the mountains,
0:18:34 > 0:18:37the fear comes from an internal threat -
0:18:37 > 0:18:40the Pakistani Taliban operate here.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49Assalaamu Alaikum.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51THEY SPEAK IN URDU
0:18:51 > 0:18:56We've been stopped about six, seven times now by security and police.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00At every scooter check point we've got to, they've said, you know, "Are you foreigners?
0:19:00 > 0:19:03"We need to put somebody in the vehicle with you or send a vehicle with you."
0:19:03 > 0:19:06With some of the highest mountains in the world, this area once
0:19:06 > 0:19:09had a thriving tourist trade.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12But four years ago, a group of Islamist extremists stormed
0:19:12 > 0:19:16a mountain camp and shot dead 10 foreign climbers
0:19:16 > 0:19:18and their Pakistani guide.'
0:19:20 > 0:19:23THEY SPEAK IN URDU
0:19:23 > 0:19:26We've got a guy in the back who won't be filmed, he's got an AK-47.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29He's going to take us to the next checkpoint
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and then be delivered back and then we might get another one.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45They want to get us foreigners from A to B as safely as possible.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Erm, yeah, Pakistan's had, you know, its own headlines, hasn't it?
0:19:49 > 0:19:52And it doesn't want any more, it doesn't need that.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Since I've been here, there's been 14 terrorist attacks
0:19:55 > 0:19:58across the country, and it's clear security forces really do
0:19:58 > 0:19:59have a battle on their hands.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09One that's cost thousands of lives and billions of pounds to fight.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19I've got another three hours of driving. It's a long road ahead.
0:20:22 > 0:20:23On the Indian side of the border,
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I'll be leaving the treacherous mountain roads to Adnan.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31I'm leaving Jammu.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Yes.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38We've ditched the crew vehicle and bought tickets on a local train.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41This is packed, it's heaving.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I'm heading 30 miles north
0:20:44 > 0:20:48to the spectacular hills of the lower Himalayas.
0:20:50 > 0:20:55This Jammu express to Katra only opened about two years ago.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57The rail line isn't completely finished
0:20:57 > 0:21:01because its destination, at some point in the future,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03is to go all the way to Srinagar in Kashmir.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08CHILDREN CHEER AND SCREAM
0:21:15 > 0:21:19When it's finished, the railway line will stretch over 200 miles.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23To navigate the rocky landscape,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27engineers are building the world's highest railway bridge,
0:21:27 > 0:21:2935 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and costing around £70 million.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49This isn't your everyday commute, most of the passengers
0:21:49 > 0:21:52are on a pilgrimage to one of the holiest sites in the Hindu religion,
0:21:52 > 0:21:56the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02It attracts around 8 million visitors every year,
0:22:02 > 0:22:03and is open 24 hours a day.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08It's a great chance for me to reconnect with my roots.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12There's only one problem, though.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16The shrine is a seven mile trek to the top of the mountain.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20So, here we go, we are starting our walk up to
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Vaishno Devi Shrine.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28And it's going to take us five hours to get to the top.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31And we're using our feet. We're not going to take the easy route
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and go on all these beautiful horses and donkeys.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41Vaishno Devi is a manifestation of the mother goddess Shakti,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and is believed to bestow strength to the weak,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46sight to the blind, wealth to the poor
0:22:46 > 0:22:49and bless childless couples with children.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52DRUMS PLAY Whoo!
0:22:52 > 0:22:55'But you don't have to be Hindu to make this journey.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57'It's a family outing for everyone.'
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Whoo!
0:23:14 > 0:23:16She's not tired at all!
0:23:18 > 0:23:2029! Oh-ho!
0:23:23 > 0:23:28But just making this trip once is a huge honour for every Hindu.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35Wow.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37As a sign of their faith,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40some worshippers bow their body length all the way to the shrine.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43That's over 6,000 agonising bows to the ground.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50The faith of the people here is incredible.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- Faith, it's big, yeah.- It is sheer devotion, isn't it?- Yes...
0:23:54 > 0:23:56And THAT is also sheer devotion,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59trying to push that up the hill, that's incredible.
0:24:01 > 0:24:0514,000 steps and a few blisters later, we've made it.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10We've reached the top and that view...
0:24:10 > 0:24:14SHE GASPS ..is awesome!
0:24:16 > 0:24:20BUZZ OF CHATTER
0:24:20 > 0:24:22It's forbidden to take cameras into the shrine
0:24:22 > 0:24:25but this is religion in the 21st century.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Once inside the cave, pilgrims greet three decorated rocks
0:24:36 > 0:24:39that symbolise Hindu goddesses.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Everybody's giving offerings, their pujas, their prayers
0:24:43 > 0:24:46and leaving gifts for the holy shrine.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Legend has it that those who visit the shrine will be granted
0:24:49 > 0:24:51any wish they make.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Shall we go in?
0:24:56 > 0:25:00I head into the cave to make my wish, without the camera.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06Mum, did it!
0:25:06 > 0:25:09It's only taken me 53 years after you!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14The shrine at Katra shows the power
0:25:14 > 0:25:17and importance of religion in this region.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21But religion hasn't always been as divisive as it is today.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26My long drive is coming to an end.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29I'm travelling through the state of Gilgit-Baltistan.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Before partition, this was part of the independent state
0:25:36 > 0:25:39of Jammu and Kashmir, ruled over by a Hindu prince.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45For 100 years, the people of these valleys lived peacefully together,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48but in 1947, there was a Muslim uprising
0:25:48 > 0:25:50and war broke out, splitting the territory in two.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59And signs of the old state are still clear to see.
0:26:23 > 0:26:24After one quick phone call,
0:26:24 > 0:26:26I'm off to meet the oldest man in the village.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38He would have been around when this area split from Kashmir.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46You can see why people would want to fight over this land.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Hello!
0:26:48 > 0:26:52I find Dr Sharif surrounded by his friends and family.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54I can't think of a better place to grow old.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Oh, wow.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Look at the size of that football! It's massive.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14He may be getting on but his memory is still fresh.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27Dr Sharif tells me he joined a paramilitary group in 1947,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31called the Gilgit Scouts, that helped secure Gilgit for Pakistan.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56A few months later, the Pakistani flag was raised in Gilgit,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59effectively splitting Kashmir in two.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01How do you feel now?
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Do you feel that this land should all be together, still,
0:28:03 > 0:28:05or is it better that it's split?
0:28:11 > 0:28:14'It's clear Dr Sharif is full of national pride.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'But there's one more thing he's really passionate about.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Oh, wow. 'Polo.'
0:28:29 > 0:28:34I find out Dr Sharif captained the Gilgit Scouts polo team for three years,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38winning the prestigious Shandu polo tournament in 1965.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Back home, Polo's the preserve of the rich. Not here.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03We're at the polo in Gilgit and it's just...
0:29:03 > 0:29:07So many people here and the police are scuffling with people
0:29:07 > 0:29:09who are trying to get in, it's just so exciting.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15This is bigger than football, isn't it?
0:29:15 > 0:29:17WHISTLES BLOW
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Driven by armed guard, Dr Sharif arrives.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23He hasn't played a polo match in decades
0:29:23 > 0:29:26but the fans have not forgotten him.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28He is a living legend.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36And while hundreds of people fight to get a good view...
0:29:39 > 0:29:42..I've landed the best seat in the house.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51His old team, renamed the Northern Scouts,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55are playing their rivals, the Gilgit-Baltistan police force.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I can't make out the rules.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19Luckily, Dr Sharif's son is on hand to explain.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22No rules?
0:30:29 > 0:30:31You're allowed to hit the other player?
0:30:37 > 0:30:40This freestyle polo has been played in northern Pakistan
0:30:40 > 0:30:45since the 15th century and originates from ancient Persia.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Back in the day, legend has it that polo was played with
0:30:50 > 0:30:52the chopped-off heads of captured enemies,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56as a symbol of victory. These days, it's just played with a ball.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06This no rules polo has claimed its first casualty.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24CROWD CHEERS
0:31:24 > 0:31:27The police win the game, 9-4.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31DRUMMING AND CHEERING
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Even with Kalashnikovs in hand, they break into a traditional
0:31:33 > 0:31:37celebration dance, rubbing the victory in their rivals' faces.
0:31:40 > 0:31:44I'm 130 miles from Adnan, in Srinagar,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47the largest city in Jammu and Kashmir.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50Everywhere I look, I can see the Indian Army.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55700,000 security forces are based across this state.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58That's one security officer for every 20 citizens.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02No matter where you go around here, you're being watched.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05You've got to just be really careful.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Many Kashmiris here don't want to be governed by India.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11They want an independent state.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14And it's here, in Srinagar, that their voices are the loudest.
0:32:16 > 0:32:19The state is 70% Muslim,
0:32:19 > 0:32:22making it the only state in India where Muslims are in the majority.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28In 1989, militants began an uprising against the Indian forces
0:32:28 > 0:32:32and since then, tens of thousands of people have been killed.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39We've come to Jamia Masjid,
0:32:39 > 0:32:42one of the biggest mosques here in Srinagar.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45In the last nine months, it's this mosque that has been
0:32:45 > 0:32:47the centre of violent protests,
0:32:47 > 0:32:50the clashes between Kashmiris and the Indian Army.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54We're about an hour away from Friday prayers.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59And it's usually after the Friday prayers end that the protestors
0:32:59 > 0:33:02spill out into the main streets around this mosque,
0:33:02 > 0:33:04to protest against what the Kashmiris call
0:33:04 > 0:33:07the Indian occupation of their land.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12CALL TO PRAYER
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Last year, during four months of mass protest
0:33:18 > 0:33:20against the Indian Army,
0:33:20 > 0:33:24more than 100 Kashmiri civilians were killed and 17,000 injured.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Outside, I meet a group of Kashmiris that have come to pray.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42- Without reason.- Without reason. - Without reason.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56India accuses Pakistan of involvement in the protests.
0:33:56 > 0:34:01Every Friday, like clockwork, Indian security forces surround the mosque.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03What have you seen?
0:34:43 > 0:34:46CAR HORNS BEEP
0:34:46 > 0:34:49As Friday prayers end, a protest breaks out.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53CROWD CHANTS:
0:35:04 > 0:35:08The gates to the mosque are locked, keeping protesters inside
0:35:08 > 0:35:11and stopping them from spilling into the busy streets.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16I can't quite believe what I'm seeing.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20The Indian Army have got these slingshots, and they're
0:35:20 > 0:35:24picking up the stones that have been thrown at them, firing stones back.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35On the other side of the gates, I get my first glimpse
0:35:35 > 0:35:39of the protesters, and I'm surprised to see how young they are.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49Well, I wasn't expecting to see a Pakistani flag, but that's
0:35:49 > 0:35:54a very blatant political message from one of the protesters there.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59If you listen to them, they're just saying, "Go, India.
0:35:59 > 0:36:00"We just want to be free."
0:36:03 > 0:36:05The protest quickly escalates.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Let's pull out, guys, pull out.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13And after several near misses, we decide to pull back.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17Indian forces fire tear gas.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26But the young Kashmir protesters throw it back.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38It's pepper...
0:36:38 > 0:36:39SHE COUGHS
0:36:39 > 0:36:44You can really feel the effects of the tear gas that's just been fired.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46There's been about five or six canisters.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55Violence starts to break out in the crowd, so we decide to leave.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07In 2017, it's almost like partition
0:37:07 > 0:37:11is happening over and over again. Every week.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13People are still feeling it.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16And it's now the next generation.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19Everyone there today was really young. And...
0:37:20 > 0:37:26..that is, for me, the consequence of what happened 70 years ago.
0:37:27 > 0:37:33It's an angry, frustrated voice that will do anything to be heard.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Yesterday's protest opened my eyes.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50Two and a half decades of rebellion against India
0:37:50 > 0:37:53have taken their toll on the Kashmiri people.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- Hello, morning.- Hello. How are you?
0:37:57 > 0:38:02Artists like Massoud are trying new ways to highlight their struggle.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05We have a lot of death and destruction.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Worst affected are our children.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12When you see the kids carrying out these protests
0:38:12 > 0:38:16and throwing stones and...
0:38:16 > 0:38:20angry, violent, who do you blame for that?
0:38:20 > 0:38:25Imagine the people born during this period.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28They haven't seen anything except violence.
0:38:28 > 0:38:31So they were born under the shadow of gun.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35It's alleged that during protests last year, more than 1,000 Kashmiris
0:38:35 > 0:38:40were shot in the face with pellet guns by the Indian security forces.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42Many are said to have been permanently blinded,
0:38:42 > 0:38:45lots of them children.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49So these are the silent images, 2016.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Digital art.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I uploaded those images on social media
0:38:56 > 0:38:59so that it could reach to the masses.
0:39:01 > 0:39:05It's a very powerful image, and I can see how something like that
0:39:05 > 0:39:11would create a lot of conversation and a lot of reaction from people.
0:39:11 > 0:39:17- You can see the pain...- Exactly. - ..in your art.
0:39:17 > 0:39:18This...
0:39:20 > 0:39:21That's Gandhi.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25These are the hands of a small boy.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Because of these pellets, he has lost both the eyes.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31So now he has to search for peace,
0:39:31 > 0:39:35so he feels the statue of Gandhi with his...
0:39:35 > 0:39:40Hands. The father of... peace and freedom.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48Srinagar is so beautiful, it's a tragedy that more people
0:39:48 > 0:39:51don't get to see it because of the security situation.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54This is Dal Lake.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Locally it's known as the jewel in the crown of Kashmir.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02That view.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountains,
0:40:07 > 0:40:10the lake covers over eight square miles.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14George Harrison chilled out here in the '60s
0:40:14 > 0:40:17and played the sitar with Ravi Shankar.
0:40:17 > 0:40:19What are all of these?
0:40:19 > 0:40:25These are houseboats. These are just like your hotel on the waters.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30- It's also called Venice. - The Little Venice of Kashmir.
0:40:30 > 0:40:31I can see why.
0:40:32 > 0:40:38But unlike Venice, this is deserted. It feels like there's no-one around.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42- No diners at the restaurant.- No.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45Everything, all the shops, completely emptied.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49It used to be full of tourists.
0:40:51 > 0:40:56Over 1 million tourists visited Kashmir in 2015.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00But since then, tourist numbers have dwindled to almost nothing.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05It's soul destroying to think that people aren't coming here
0:41:05 > 0:41:07because of all the fighting and the violence.
0:41:09 > 0:41:12And that side of Kashmir just doesn't fit with this,
0:41:12 > 0:41:17which is serene, calm and tranquil.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20This is what Kashmiris want the world to see.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25While other parts of India are moving forward, Kashmir is stuck
0:41:25 > 0:41:30fighting this internal conflict, and it could hold them back for decades.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35Pakistan, on the other hand,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38is forging a new alliance with a powerful neighbour.
0:41:44 > 0:41:47I'm travelling along the Karakoram Highway.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53It's an 800-mile stretch of road that goes all the way to China.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57It's one of the highest paved roads on earth.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04Built by Pakistan and China, it's a major trade route, helping to
0:42:04 > 0:42:07generate £11 billion of trade a year between the two countries.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11We've been on the Karakoram Highway a few days now.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14This last stretch has just been really smooth and developed
0:42:14 > 0:42:16and safe.
0:42:16 > 0:42:19And it's this friendship and this relationship that the Chinese
0:42:19 > 0:42:21have got with the Pakistanis, it feels like something is happening.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24That's the thing, it feels like something is happening.
0:42:25 > 0:42:30In return, the Karakoram Highway gives China direct road access to
0:42:30 > 0:42:33Gwadar port on Pakistan's coast,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35where traffic from Chinese commercial
0:42:35 > 0:42:38and naval vessels is growing.
0:42:38 > 0:42:44And for Pakistan, it's opened up remote areas like Attabad Lake to tourism.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47Have you ever seen water like this? Look at the colour of it.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Shoaib captains a boat, taking visitors on the lake.
0:43:22 > 0:43:24Shoaib tells me the lake was formed after a massive
0:43:24 > 0:43:29landslide at Attabad village in 2010, killing 20 people.
0:43:32 > 0:43:33It blocked the flow of the Hunza River,
0:43:33 > 0:43:36slowly forming this lake over seven months.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45There is just little bits, you can see evidence of people's houses.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58The original Karakoram Highway also disappeared with the village underwater.
0:44:01 > 0:44:06To restore this vital trade link and bypass the lake, China and Pakistan
0:44:06 > 0:44:10built a series of bridges and tunnels, costing over £200 million.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15That's the tunnel that the Chinese built with the Pakistanis,
0:44:15 > 0:44:19seven kilometres long, four point... 4.5 miles, something like that.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39The China connection is big.
0:44:39 > 0:44:42The two countries have now signed a £46 billion
0:44:42 > 0:44:44series of construction deals
0:44:44 > 0:44:47that should rapidly modernise Pakistani infrastructure
0:44:47 > 0:44:49and strengthen the economy.
0:44:49 > 0:44:51How do you see the future of Pakistan?
0:44:51 > 0:44:52Do you see a burst of trade with China
0:44:52 > 0:44:54and a burst of trade with the world?
0:45:10 > 0:45:13I drive further up the Karakoram Highway and, after an hour,
0:45:13 > 0:45:15reach the Passu Glacier.
0:45:18 > 0:45:21It waters this high altitude farmland,
0:45:21 > 0:45:23providing food for the remote communities.
0:45:25 > 0:45:27I'm now only 60 miles from China.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33Most of the people here are Ismaili Muslims,
0:45:33 > 0:45:35one of the more moderate sections of Islam.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39Hello. Assalaamu Alaikum.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43They speak Wakhi, and have Aryan origins.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Unlike some ultraconservative parts of Pakistan,
0:45:47 > 0:45:51where girls are stopped from going to school, education here,
0:45:51 > 0:45:53especially for girls, is really valued.
0:46:05 > 0:46:08What are you going to be, what are you going to do with your lives?
0:46:08 > 0:46:09- Doctor.- Doctor?- Doctor.- Doctor.
0:46:09 > 0:46:12- Doctor.- Doctor.- Teacher.- Teacher.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14- Heart doctor.- Heart doctor.
0:46:14 > 0:46:16- Eye doctor.- Eye doctor.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24This is what all villages in Pakistan could look like,
0:46:24 > 0:46:27if all students, regardless of gender,
0:46:27 > 0:46:29are given the same opportunities.
0:46:31 > 0:46:33And it's all made possible through a mixture of government
0:46:33 > 0:46:38and private schools, and academies funded by international foundations.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Assalaamu Alaikum. Assalaamu Alaikum.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46- A little bit English.- A little bit, OK. Great. This is your field?
0:46:46 > 0:46:50- Yeah, this is my field.- What do you grow?- Potatoes and some vegetables.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52Then we have wheat also, the green field is wheat.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55- Where did you learn English? - When we were going to school,
0:46:55 > 0:46:58from classics, we start just A, B, C.
0:46:58 > 0:47:01- Does everybody learn English? - Nowadays, yes, everyone.- Wow.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03In this area we have good schools here,
0:47:03 > 0:47:05especially this village, 100% literacy.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08- 100% literacy levels? - Yeah, in this village.
0:47:08 > 0:47:10It's probably more than Burnley.
0:47:11 > 0:47:16Education has given Ijaz's children opportunities he only dreamt of.
0:47:16 > 0:47:18He tells me his eldest daughter is studying a Masters degree
0:47:18 > 0:47:21in economics at Islamabad University.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25She plans to return to the village and become a banker.
0:47:25 > 0:47:28Looking at all the development that's gone on in Pakistan, and one
0:47:28 > 0:47:31of the big things I've seen is the Chinese development and the road.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33Do you the kids might end up learning Chinese?
0:47:33 > 0:47:38First they will learn English and nowadays the Chinese also.
0:47:38 > 0:47:41Because of the road and all this.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45I just think Pakistan is lucky to have this forward kind of thinking.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48You know, you've got this really young,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51vibrant, bursting population who are really educated.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54On the border with China.
0:47:54 > 0:47:56It's huge.
0:47:57 > 0:47:59By forging a relationship with China,
0:47:59 > 0:48:03and by putting education at the forefront of children's development,
0:48:03 > 0:48:07it feels this remote northern area is headed in the right direction.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19100 miles from Anand in India, I've spent most of my time
0:48:19 > 0:48:21avoiding treacherous mountain drives.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23But now, I can no longer avoid it.
0:48:27 > 0:48:31I'm heading along the Zojila Pass in the Himalayan ranges.
0:48:31 > 0:48:33At over 11,000 feet,
0:48:33 > 0:48:37this is one of the most dangerous stretches of road in the world.
0:48:37 > 0:48:40I can see the rocks falling, I've seen a few coming down.
0:48:40 > 0:48:41ENGINE STUTTERS
0:48:41 > 0:48:44Oh, dear, that doesn't sound very healthy.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48You don't want a breakdown on this road, there's no AA around here.
0:48:49 > 0:48:50Wow.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54It might be the lifeline from Srinagar to Kargil,
0:48:54 > 0:48:56but you could well lose your life on this pass.
0:48:58 > 0:48:59Kargil is my next stop.
0:48:59 > 0:49:04It's where the last war was fought between India and Pakistan in 1999.
0:49:06 > 0:49:10The border in this region is not like the international border
0:49:10 > 0:49:12I visited at the start of my journey in Jammu.
0:49:13 > 0:49:18It's called the Line of Control, also known as the LOC.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21It roughly marks the military front where India
0:49:21 > 0:49:26and Pakistan declared a ceasefire line in 1949.
0:49:26 > 0:49:29It's not an official border, but acts as a boundary
0:49:29 > 0:49:34between the two hostile countries, running for 460 miles.
0:49:37 > 0:49:38And it's split thousands of families
0:49:38 > 0:49:42who live apart in neighbouring villages.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44Assalaamu Alaikum. Babita.
0:49:44 > 0:49:47Sajid Hussein has lived here his whole life.
0:49:47 > 0:49:53We are in the Line of Control. This is Hunderman village...
0:49:53 > 0:49:57from Indian side, which comes under Kargil district.
0:49:57 > 0:50:02And that village is Brolmo village. Brolmo village is in Pakistan.
0:50:02 > 0:50:06- And the Line of Control runs directly through this area?- Yeah.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13I can see that Pakistani village from here.
0:50:13 > 0:50:17And there can't be more than five kilometres separating them.
0:50:17 > 0:50:21It's just two or three kilometres away from the villages.
0:50:21 > 0:50:24So there are families that are from this village that have
0:50:24 > 0:50:26family in that village over there.
0:50:26 > 0:50:27Yes, of course.
0:50:32 > 0:50:33Hi.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Saeed Rizvi has a half brother
0:50:43 > 0:50:46living just over the border in Pakistan.
0:50:46 > 0:50:48Oh, lots of pictures.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52You look so different. SHE LAUGHS
0:50:52 > 0:50:56- This is him, here, at 38?- 30 years.
0:50:56 > 0:50:58That's his brother.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00He tells me if he could cross the Line of Control,
0:51:00 > 0:51:03he could visit his brother within hours.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07How far is your brother's house to where you are now?
0:51:17 > 0:51:22Instead of this short trip, Saeed must take a 1,600 mile detour
0:51:22 > 0:51:26around the Line of Control that can take up to 15 days.
0:51:26 > 0:51:29He's only been able to visit his brother once.
0:51:29 > 0:51:31Most families simply can't afford it.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34Do you know how many families are divided like yours?
0:51:48 > 0:51:51And some probably have never seen their families.
0:52:13 > 0:52:16Some families have waited a generation to meet
0:52:16 > 0:52:19their relatives on both sides of the Line of Control.
0:52:19 > 0:52:23I can't help but feel it's like the Berlin Wall of Asia.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27Not just dividing families, but communities,
0:52:27 > 0:52:29who for centuries used to live together.
0:52:30 > 0:52:34It's taken us days to get here, but I'm so glad that we came.
0:52:34 > 0:52:38Because I had no idea that partition affected people
0:52:38 > 0:52:41this far north of the border.
0:52:42 > 0:52:43It's heartbreaking...
0:52:46 > 0:52:48..to think that today...
0:52:51 > 0:52:52..families can't be together.
0:53:11 > 0:53:1670 miles away in Pakistan, my journey is coming to an end.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20Over the last five weeks, I've travelled over 1,400 miles,
0:53:20 > 0:53:23crossing three states.
0:53:23 > 0:53:26I'm now high up in the Thalay Valley.
0:53:28 > 0:53:3153 miles east is the Siachen Glacier,
0:53:31 > 0:53:36the highest battlefield in the world, where even now Pakistan
0:53:36 > 0:53:39and India are locked in a stalemate over whose land this really is.
0:53:42 > 0:53:43But the people that live here
0:53:43 > 0:53:45just seem to be getting on with their lives.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48Hello, baby. That tongue feels lovely.
0:53:50 > 0:53:54Seven decades of bitter separation have cost both Pakistan
0:53:54 > 0:53:56and India dearly.
0:53:56 > 0:54:00Not just in terms of military spending and lost lives, but also
0:54:00 > 0:54:03at the cost of trade, which would massively benefit the two nations.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31On this journey, I've seen so many reasons to be positive,
0:54:31 > 0:54:33and it's all down to the people that I've met,
0:54:33 > 0:54:37who, despite all the problems, are just getting on with things
0:54:37 > 0:54:41and moving this country forward into the 21st century.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44The Pakistan that I've met today is a young country,
0:54:44 > 0:54:49it's a 70-year-old country, and it's trying to work itself out.
0:54:49 > 0:54:52It's trying to work itself out with that really awkward
0:54:52 > 0:54:54conversation it's got to have with its neighbour.
0:54:54 > 0:54:59About how they, you know, fell out 70 years ago.
0:54:59 > 0:55:02I'm leaving Pakistan with a real sense of optimism for the future.
0:55:02 > 0:55:08And not just for this country, but for myself, as a British Pakistani.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11This is the end of my journey here in Pakistan.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14It's not the end of my relationship with Pakistan.
0:55:14 > 0:55:16I feel more of a Pakistani, feel like it's more of me,
0:55:16 > 0:55:18and I feel like it's just going to get more
0:55:18 > 0:55:21and more deeper as I visit this country more.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24This is a part of me.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46The end's in sight for me, too.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49We've driven to Leh, where Buddhism is the main religion.
0:55:53 > 0:55:58We've come to one of the biggest monasteries here, Hemis Monastery.
0:55:58 > 0:56:01It's so peaceful. I can't think of a better way to end my journey.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08Hemis Monastery dates back to the 1600s,
0:56:08 > 0:56:12and attracts tourists from all over the world.
0:56:12 > 0:56:16It's customary to make an offering to Buddha with flowers,
0:56:16 > 0:56:19candles, fruit, incense or water.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33Offering water symbolises purity and clarity of mind.
0:56:37 > 0:56:38We're just walking around this beautiful,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41huge statue of Buddha here.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44Many of the people that come here, tourists and also Buddhists,
0:56:44 > 0:56:45do the same walk.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49And one is the minimum, but if you can do three,
0:56:49 > 0:56:51that's considered auspicious.
0:56:51 > 0:56:53But here the monks walk around
0:56:53 > 0:56:56sometimes thousands and thousands of times.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00I came on this journey to find out what India has become
0:57:00 > 0:57:0270 years after partition.
0:57:02 > 0:57:06And what I witnessed in Kashmir has affected me the most.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09What do you think about the problems of Jammu and Kashmir?
0:57:33 > 0:57:37When I started my journey five weeks ago in the southern state
0:57:37 > 0:57:42of Gujarat, I got a sense that partition was starting to fade into history.
0:57:42 > 0:57:46But as I made my way north through Rajasthan, then the Punjab
0:57:46 > 0:57:51and now Kashmir, the legacy of partition grew stronger and more bitter.
0:57:51 > 0:57:55From the innocent victims living in fear along the border, to the
0:57:55 > 0:57:58Kashmiris who feel oppressed in their own land.
0:57:58 > 0:58:01The truth is, is that I...
0:58:01 > 0:58:05realise how partition has ripped the heart out of India.
0:58:07 > 0:58:11And to this day, people are still suffering.
0:58:13 > 0:58:17And it breaks my heart to think that this power struggle
0:58:17 > 0:58:22between Pakistan and India is preventing peace today in 2017.
0:58:27 > 0:58:30Would you like to find out more about why India was partitioned
0:58:30 > 0:58:31and Pakistan created?
0:58:31 > 0:58:34Delve deeper into the history and psychology
0:58:34 > 0:58:36with our academic experts at...
0:58:41 > 0:58:44..and follow the links to the Open University.