FAISALABAD, March 22: The Indian and Pakistani intelligentsia have stressed the need to exchange delegates of professionals, mediamen and liberal people of lower and middle classes to strengthen the peace process between the two countries. Speakers at a seminar on ‘Role of the Media in the Pakistan-India Friendship’ held here at the press club on Wednesday said time had come for both the nations to come forward and join hands for cordial relations otherwise the so-called big powers would destroy the peace movement.

South Asian Fraternity secretary general Satya Paul said the media could play a pivotal role in strengthening the peace process and the writers would have to jump into this field for a noble cause.

He said the decades old gaps between the two nations could be bridged through bilateral relations at the grassroots level instead of waiting for the rulers of India and Pakistan.

He said the joint efforts of South Asian countries through one platform was a good omen for the region and they should take another step by opening boundaries for Saarc people like the European Union countries.

He said the trade links between the Saarc countries, specially India and Pakistan, should be enhanced.

Former health minister Mrs Malti Thaper said there was no difference between the two nations on economic, language and cultural level. The people of middle and lower classes should exchange visits at private level.

Dr Pawan Thaper said the Pakistan-India friendship had been strengthened during the last some years due to positive policies of their governments but the process should be accelerated.

Faisalabad Press Club President Shamsul Islam Naz said the delegates working for the cause of peace were the great people.

He said adequate steps were not being taken at the government level and there was a dire need to open boundaries for the people. The government should simplify the visa procedures and exchange delegates for the success of the peace programme.

Those who took part in the discussion from the Indian group were Jagdish Chander Batra, Dr L. S. Tulankar, Raj Kumar, Jagat Sarup, Deepak Malviya, Naushad Alam, Santosh Kumar, Mrs Usha Gupta, Ranjit Singh, Amar Singh, Roop Lal Mittal, Ramesh Chand Sharma, Virendar Paul, Miss Nitasha Jaini, Miss Kaveri Behera, Chittarangan Sahani and Bansi Lal. Ghulam Mohyuddin, Ajmal Malik, Muhammad Shafiq, Hamid Yaseen, Shahid Ali, Ijaz Husain, Rana Habeeb, Dr Tahir Khaliq, Tahir Rashid and others represented the Pakistani group.