KARACHI: Pakistan, India urged to work for better ties
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Nov 16: Pakistan-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy has proposed a step-by-step process to resolve Kashmir issue and stressed on a pivotal role for Kashmiri people in the process.
The Forum, which pioneered people-to-people contact, is pursuing an agenda which includes settlement of Kashmir, end to intolerance, and demilitarization in the region.
“We are convinced that change is going to be brought about through an initiative by the peoples of the two countries,” said Dr Mubashir Hassan, an eminent politician and founder member of the Forum. He announced that the next convention of the Forum would be held in Karachi from Dec 12 to 14 with main focus on Defy the Divide, Unite for Peace.
The Forum has appealed to all enlightened people, civil society and peace-loving people to come forward and extend their cooperation to make the convention a memorable event.
The appeal was made by the Forum’s Secretary Ms Anees Haroon while speaking at a press conference along with the representatives of the joint committee from India and Pakistan Mr Tapan K. Bose, Mr Gautam Navlakha, Mr I. A. Rehman and Dr Mubashir Hassan at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.
Dr Mubashir Hassan said that the initiative for people-to-people contact, which enters its 11th year in 2004, has become a strong movement in both the countries which had forced the governments of both the countries to initiate a dialogue for peace.
Mr I. A. Rehman, an eminent writer, journalist and human rights activists, highlighted the need and importance of the people-to-people initiative and criticized the two governments for pursuing the policies that had divided the families of their citizens through restrictions on their meetings. “We believe the entire civil society regards a reunion of the families across the border not as a matter of policy but their fundamental right.”
In reply to a question, he said that the Indian offer to reopen Khokhrapar-Monabao route was welcomed as the move would have helped in reducing travel-related hardships faced by the peoples of both the countries in visiting each other. He pointed out that peoples of both the countries were equally faced with problems in getting visas.
The upcoming Karachi convention, he said, would highlight such issues and stress on an easy and expedited process that could facilitate the divided families in visiting each other easily and without any trouble.
Mr Tapan K. Bose, Secretary of the India chapter of the Forum and its founder member, regretted that the Kashmir issue had been made a matter of patriotism by the governments of the two countries. “While we seek democratic rights for ourselves, we do not consider these rights for Kashmiris although the UN Resolution calls for a plebiscite in Kashmir to decide the matter.”
He said it was weakness of a government that prompted it to impose unnecessary restrictions on its people and deprive them of their rights to meet freely and mix up with people across the border, exchange newspapers and indulge in bilateral trade.
Mr Bose remarked: “This has to be taken into consideration that whether a country belongs to its army, bureaucracy, prime minister or people.”
We have to realize the fact that a border was created 56 years back and that we are neighbours. However, he strongly opposed hostilities between the Pakistan and India saying that outcome of fighting could not make any of them stronger or weaker. He was of the view that any third party could take advantage of the hostilities between the two countries.
He noted with regret that due to the hostile policies pursued by the two governments against each other, envoys of both the countries did not get due respect at various forums in the world.
Regarding Kashmir issue, he said it could be resolved only through a step-by-step process where people across the divide should be facilitated in visiting each other freely and Kashmiris be given a pivotal role. In this regard, he proposed opening of Pindi and Sialkot routes for free travel and trade between the two parts of Kashmir.
Mr Bose stressed that India must realize that shelling by its forces had destroyed the road in Neelum Valley and made lives of local residents miserable. Likewise, he said Pakistan must review its military actions in Siachin and Kargil sector.
Once both the sides forgot about any possible harm to their rule or popularity, and concentrate on reducing tension, they would no more need to spend heavily on defence.
