'Pakistan' in Bihar to spread peace?

Lahore, Jan 3: A village by the name of 'Pakistan' still exists in Purnea district of Bihar despite growing tensions between India and Pakistan in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror strikes that killed 179 people.

In spite of tensions between the two neighbours, the residents of Pakistan village in Purnea district do not want to change the name of their village.

According to the BBC, the villagers did not want war between the two countries and wanted to spread the message of peace and brotherhood.

'Pakistan' is a village on western Bengal's borders from where the native Muslim population had migrated to then East Pakistan in 1947, and in the memory of those Muslims, the locals had named the village 'Pakistan'.

There is not a single Muslim family living in the village at present, the Daily Times quoted the BBC, as saying.

Despite tensions between the two countries and opposition from some local elements, the villagers have not changed the name of their village.

Purnea is the oldest district in Bihar. In 1912, Bihar and Orissa were carved as separate provinces out of the old Bengal Province and Purnea became the district of the new provincial unit. Before the state re-organization in 1956, Purnia was contiguous to East Pakistan.

ANI