28 November 2004	Sunday	15 Shawwal 1425

KARACHI, Nov 27: Indian journalist and special correspondent of The Telegraph, Rasheed Kidwai, has said that great responsibility lies on the people of Pakistan and India to play their due role in accelerating pace of ongoing peace process between the two countries.

Mr Kidwai, author of "Sonia: a biography" and currently on a visit to Pakistan, was speaking on "India-Pakistan Peace Talks", organized by the Pakistan Press International at its Vicky Zeitlin Media Library on Saturday.

He said that the role of the United States could not be undermined in facilitating and bringing both countries on dialogue table. "People of the two countries, especially intelligentsia, traders and media want peace to reap benefits of restoration of ties between regional arch rivals," he added.

According to him, people-to-people contact is more important than talks at government level to resolve all issues including Kashmir, as ultimately the governments will have to seek their people's approval for settling all disputes.

Highlighting the importance of free movement of media men between both countries, he said that media had all the potential to remove concerns of people and could present actual and unbiased approach of people towards peace process.

He expressed hope that the people of Pakistan and India could become prosperous by direct trade, sharing each other's experience in agriculture, education, health and Information Technology.

On concerns of certain quarters in India and Pakistan against ongoing peace process, Mr Kidwai said that peace could not be achieved without facing difficulties and sacrifices of all nature. Since the beginning of the peace process, a number of challenges had been emerged and there could be many more in future, he added.

Regarding India's foreign policy and its growing ties with Israel, he said after dismantling of former Soviet Union, vacuum emerged and nations who failed to re-adjust their foreign policies were left alone and suffered.

"India still supports Palestinian people, considering them oppressed and homeless, but at the same time, it is pursuing aggressive policy and establishing agricultural, educational and other relations with Israel," he added.

Resident Editor of Daily Times Sarfraz Ahmed and Bureau Chief of the Pakistan Press International Karachi Nasir Aijaz also spoke on the occasion. -PPI