January 17, 2003	Friday	Ziqa'ad 13, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 16: The Yakjehti Committee — a joint forum of civil society organizations, trade unions, association of kutcha abadi dwellers, professionals and students — has announced that its “Human Chain for Peace” programme on Saturday will be peaceful and traffic on Murree Road will not be disrupted.

Speaking at a press conference here on Thursday, the organizers said all arrangements had been finalized for human chain, which would be formed between Mareer Chowk and Faizabad all along Murree Road.

The programme will start at 11am and end at 1pm with the release of hundreds of pigeons and balloons in the air at all chowks on Murree Road. The participants will also read a peace declaration loudly at the end of the programme.

The organizers said the participants would stand on footpaths and not on roads to register their silent protest against the anti-peace role of the US government at international level. They said the programme was the part of a global movement and peace rallies would be held in all big cities of the world, including the US on Saturday, to condemn the American plan to attack Iraq.

They said all major political parties including Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) would take part in the human chain for peace programme. They said besides activists of political parties, the elected representatives of the local government, traders, lawyers, doctors, trade union workers, kutcha abadi dwellers, schoolchildren, college and university students, youth organizations and members of civil society organizations would take part in the rally.

In the section between Chandni Chowk and Faizabad, schoolchildren will hold posters and banners, which they have made especially for this occasion. Prizes to these schoolchildren will be given by the World Champion blind cricket team members.

They said a large number of banners and placards had been prepared and would be provided to the participants on the spot. Slogans would be confined to opposition to American attack on Iraq, they added.

Three street theatre groups will be performing continuously at different spots, and then moving on to platform at the next spot. A group of artists from Faisalabad, mobile on a truck, will sing peace songs for the entire duration. A number of leaflets are being printed, which will be distributed to the general public.

The press conference was attended by Jamil Omar, the coordinator Yakjehti Council, Amir Hanif Raja, the patron, Pakistan blind cricket team, Farzana Bari and Jehangir Akhtar of Awam Dost Mahaz.