News
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Pakistan, India urged to show restraint, go for talks
LAHORE: Participants of a dialogue between intellectuals of India and Pakistan called on their countries to show restraint on the borders and go for talks.Arranged by the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), the dialogue was attended by people from all walks of life in great numbers despite rain. SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam stressed the need for revival of old links between India and Pakistan. “The more the connectivity and exchanges the better the ties,” he said. He said a strong Pakistan would augur well for India, so it should strengthen the democratically elected government in Pakistan by shunning the jingoism spread by certain parties for their political exigency and by the media for their commercial interests. Alam urged the prime ministers of Pakistan and India to restart the dialogue process. Baraj Mohan, an Indian newspaper and television journalist, said both India and Pakistan were ignoring basic issues of their people.
Economist Pervez Tahir said India and Pakistan needed to show flexibility and open trade building upon the complementarities the two countries had. Veteran Indian journalist Chanchal Manohar Singh said dialogue was the only way out of the morass the two countries were in. Columnist Kamran Shafi lamented that India and Pakistan, the two nuclear powers, lacked basic infrastructure. “Peace is the only direction we should aspire,” he said. Sanjay Sharma, resident editor of the Sunday Guardian, stressed on restoring life’s dignity.
Indian journalist Jasdeep Singh Malhotra called for efforts to remove misconceptions in people on both sides of the border about each other through information and people exchanges. MPA Mian Muhammad Munir suggested opting for cricket in achieving peace between India and Pakistan. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Samiullah Khan asked Indian politicians to rise above political expediency and work for peace with Pakistan. SAFMA also organised a candlelight vigil on the night between August 14 and 15 to pay homage to the martyrs of independence and promote peace. Carrying candles in their hands with the message of friendship, peace and love, peaceniks from both the countries turned up for the vigil. They raised slogans for promoting peace in the region and improving relations between the two countries. Peace activists from India and Pakistan emphasised normalisation of relations to solve all disputes. pr
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk