KARACHI: Peace between Pakistan and India was not only necessary but the circumstances in the fast-changing world had forced the both countries to shed their differences and bring the two peoples close.
This was observed by Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui at a seminar held by bazme-Kahkeshan on Saturday, on Pak-India peace. The writers and poets, invited to express their opinion and describe the role of the intellectuals and members of their own community in the ongoing peace initiative, expressed their desire that the material, social and cultural development in the region, particularly in Pakistan, was possible only through spreading knowledge and therefore peace was imperative.
Dr Siddiqui, describing the historical factors, which led to the demand for Pakistan, said partition could have been avoided as Quaid-i-Azam had agreed to the Cabinet Mission Plan, but the ‘extremists’ in the All Indian National Congress were not ready to accept the Muslims as equal partners. But, what was now required was to correct the wrong and for both the governments of Pakistan and India, and to settle for permanent peace. To keep alive the animosity and mutual contempt for each other, was not possible, he said, and lamented that because of our past mistakes, particularly our neglect towards education and spread of knowledge, Pakistan was regarded as one of the most underdeveloped countries in the region.
Earlier, Ghazi Salahuddin surveyed the socio-political conditions prevailing in the Subcontinent and observed that while most nations, in the decade of 50s, were ravaged by the consequences of the World War II, or were colonized, Pakistan and India were two independent forces - young and vibrant, but now, when most other nations were highly developed, these two nations had declined to the lowest ebb.
Regrettably, he said, nothing had changed and if there was any change, it was for the wars. The decline in reading habit in people of Pakistan was often attributed to high prices of books and newspapers, he said, while pointing out that consumption of soft drink in Pakistan was three times more as compared to that in India. The rise of ‘fundamentalism and extremists’ in the country led to heavy spending on defence, depriving the social sector of necessary investment and leading the nation towards the worst intellectual poverty.
Poet and short-story writer Fatema Hasan readout her ghazal, ‘peace’ being its theme and expressed a desire for close relationship between the two neighbouring nations, having rich historical heritage.
Other speakers included Hasan Zaheer, who stressed upon the role of civil society in bringing about peace in the Subcontinent and appealed to the writers to write for peace and intellectual development in the region.
Writer, Zafar Mohiyuddin of Bazme Kahkeshan, in his paper delved into the minds of the extremists, whose philosophy, he said, was devoid of any logic and change.
A brief speech was also made by Prof Azfer Rizvi, besides Mr Iqbal Majeedi poem, meant for the occasion.— Hasan Abidi
