JournalismPakistan.com | Published November 17, 2013
Join our WhatsApp channel
NEW DELHI: An advertisement by Google depicting two childhood friends who are tearfully reunited following their separation during the partition of India and Pakistan has gone viral online, reflecting demands in the two countries for closer people-to-people ties.
The 3:33-minute video, titled “Reunion”, has racked up more than two million hits since it was posted on YouTube on Thursday.
It revolves around the friendship of two boys who were separated 66 years ago following the South Asian subcontinent’s independence from British colonial rule and its subsequent partition. The advertisement explains how the two fictional characters are brought together by younger relatives using Google searches to reunite the pair.
After the India-based man tells his granddaughter about how he and his friend used to steal “jhajariya” (a type of sweet) from a shop close to “an old gate” in Lahore, the girl uses the clues to search on Google and eventually track down his long lost friend. She contacts the Pakistan-based friend’s grandson who also trawls Google for advice on how to obtain an Indian visa and the advertisement ends with an emotive surprise reunion in India on the birthday of one of them.
Internet users left thousands of comments on social networking sites describing how the advert had brought them to tears and renewed their hopes for improved relations between the two neighbors. “Google brought nations together in 3 minutes 32 seconds. The politicians of both countries couldn’t do this in 66 years,” wrote Akshaya Aradhya on Google’s official Facebook page.
“Wonderful campaign highlighting all the similarities and shared experiences instead of the differences,” added another user under the name Pakistanis for Peace. The 1947 partition, which saw some of the bloodiest rioting in South Asia, separated hundreds of thousands of families in India and Pakistan.
Cross-border travel in initial days was difficult as the two South Asian neighbors, now nuclear-armed, fought three wars since they became two separate entities.
Pakistan and India kicked off peace talks in 2004 which saw the easing of cross-border travel rules but often militant-led attacks in India have become a stumbling block towards normalization of bilateral ties.
While a mobile phone revolution has led to an explosion in handset ownership, the development of high-speed connections enabling Internet browsing has remained slow in billion-plus India. - AFP
June 11, 2025: Pakistan celebrated a narrow win over Bangladesh, but beneath the jubilation lies a deeper crisis—from sidelined veterans to a collapsing domestic structure—signaling an urgent need for cricket reform.
June 11, 2025: Journalists walked out of the post-budget press conference in Islamabad to protest the absence of a technical briefing and the government's dismissive behavior, calling it unacceptable and intolerable.
May 31, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz has issued a defamation notice to Shoaib Akhtar over derogatory remarks made during a recent broadcast, reigniting a longstanding media feud between the two prominent figures in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has demanded the full repeal of PECA, citing its vague language, coercive powers, and threats to free speech and digital rights in Pakistan.
May 30, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has condemned the murder of journalist Syed Mohammed Shah in Jacobabad, calling for urgent justice and improved safety for media professionals in Sindh.
May 26, 2025: In Rawalpindi, police allegedly side with Jang Group to block 66 reinstated employees from resuming work despite court orders, drawing sharp criticism from unions and press freedom advocates.
May 25, 2025: PFUJ condemns the Jang Group's decision to dismiss over 80 employees in Rawalpindi, calling it an 'economic massacre.' The union warns of nationwide protests if workers are not reinstated.
May 25, 2025: Daily Jang Rawalpindi has terminated over 80 employees, including female staff, despite multiple court rulings in their favor—raising concerns over labor rights violations and misuse of authority in Pakistani media.
May 19, 2025 PJS reports 219 Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli attacks since October 7, with 30 women among the victims. Over 430 were injured and 685 family members were killed. Read more on the systematic targeting of media in Gaza.
May 15, 2025 Discover the legacy of Samiullah Khan, Pakistan’s legendary "Flying Horse," whose breathtaking speed and artistry redefined hockey. From Olympic glory to World Cup triumphs, his story is one of myth, movement, and magic.
May 04, 2025 Algerian authorities suspend Echorouk News TV for 10 days after it used a racist slur against African migrants. ANIRA demands an apology, calling it a violation of human dignity.
May 04, 2025 NCHR and MMfD launch a journalism fellowship to train reporters on digital rights & gender inclusion in Pakistan. Supported by UNESCO, this initiative aims to bridge the gender digital divide. Apply by May 15, 2025!
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.