LAHORE, Dec 11: Hoping for a lasting peace and friendlier relations between Pakistan and India, about 235 Indian peace and human rights activists reached here via Wagah border on Thursday to attend a three-day peace conference arranged by the Pak-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy.
The Indian delegation, including a large number of women, left here by train for Karachi in the evening to attend the peace moot starting on Friday.
“This is the largest peace delegation coming from India. We’re happy that so many people have been issued visas enabling them to attend the conference,” said former chairperson of the Forum (Pakistan) Dr Mubashir Hasan. “I am glad that the two governments have begun taking note of aspirations and wishes of an overwhelming majority of their people.”
The delegation comprises film/theatre artistes, lawyers, rights and NGO activists, journalists, film-makers, retired soldiers and labour leaders from across India. Many came from Jammu and Kashmir.
Prominent among them were: film/stage artist Ratna Pathak Shah, film-maker Anand Patwardhan, Prof Susheel Khana, Gautam Naulakha, journalist Bharat Bhushan, Romesh Chandra, and Seema Anil Sehgal.
On their arrival, they were greeted by peace/rights activists, and local businessmen who had arranged a lunch for the delegates.
Dr Mubashir Hasan, Forum’s chairperson (Lahore), Liaquat Ali, Brig (retd) Abid Rao, and businessmen Anjum Nisar, Khalid Rafiq and Majid Abdullah were prominent among those who received the delegates.
The sixth joint convention of the Pak-India Peoples’ Forum is being held after a lapse of two years due of suspension for about 17 months by India of rail, road and airlinks with Pakistan following a terror attack on its parliament in New Delhi in December 2001.
The convention — Defy the divide, unite for peace — will focus on the divided families and demand liberalization of the visa policy by both the countries.
Indian theatre group — Motley — will stage two plays based on short stories by Ismat Chughtai and Sa’adat Hasan Minto during the convention.
Speaking to reporters, senior journalist from Srinagar Ved Vhasin said peace would be possible between the two South Asian neighbours only after the resolution of the Kashmir issue through dialogue.
He said a majority of the people of Kashmir wanted an independent state of their own.
LAHORE, Dec 11: Hoping for a lasting peace and friendlier relations between Pakistan and India, about 235 Indian peace and human rights activists reached here via Wagah border on Thursday to attend a three-day peace conference arranged by the Pak-India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy.
