PESHAWAR: Peshawar has witnessed many bloody scenes on its various roads and at markets owing to terrorism for the last decade or so.

Peace march of young nationalist activists, wearing red caps and holding red flags, with national songs on roads of the provincial capital on Monday was a heartening sight.

The peace march was organised by Bacha Khan Research Centre, named after Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan respectably known as Bacha Khan or Frontier Gandhi for his nonviolence movement.

The rights activists, who had stopped protesting violations and observing rights’ days by holding such marches and rallies for the last couple of years due to insecurity, seem to be rejuvenating.

However, it was just the Awami National Party activists and leaders, who had made this peace march colourful with their presence and speeches. Other political or rights activists had not joined the peace march, which was made from the busy road starting from Peshawar Press Club to Governor’s House.

The mood was festive but the message they were sending out was a serious one.

“Pakistan should devise its internal and external policies for ensuring its own interest and peace,” said Mian Iftikhar Hussain, a strong voice for peace in the region as well as general secretary of ANP.

BKRC director Prof Khadim Hussain, who is vocal and also writes about regional security issues, said that purpose of the peace march was to jolt the government to take steps and pursue policies that would bring peace in the region.

Jamila Gilan, former MNA and ANP leader, also gave a clearer perspective of what this march was all about. “We are marching for peace. We want the world to know we want peace. But looks like a new game is on as the so called Islamic State is becoming active in the region,” she added.

Ms Gilani said that at the moment there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

“People of this region do not seem to be out of trouble as yet as the root cause of the violence is lying deep in our external policies,” she said.

Mr Hussain also urged Pakistan to have more friendly and peaceful relations with Afghanistan for a lasting peace in the region.

“If new powers like Russia and China are talking to Pakistan about peace in Afghanistan in the absence of Afghanistan, what does it suggest,” he wondered. He said that they would not tolerate spilling of blood of Pakhtuns any more in some new power game.

Aimal Khan, a young ANP leader, also expressed his pride in being follower of Bacha Khan, his great grandfather, who spread message of non-violence.

“There was never a need to follow the non-violence ideology as much as it is felt today,” he said.

Published in Dawn January 24th, 2017