LAHORE, May 25: World Punjabi Congress (WPC) chairman Fakhar Zaman has said that bureaucracy is trying to subvert the India-Pakistan peace process against the wishes of political leadership.

Giving his presidential remarks at a seminar on ‘Pen and Peace’ organised by the congress literary wing here on Thursday, he said the political leadership of both the countries wanted to normalise relations but the bureaucracy was discouraging free movement of the people by issuing city-specific visas instead of multiple visas and allowing crossing of border on foot.

He said only a handful of persons travelled on the Lahore-Amritsar and Lahore-Nankana bus services due to denial of visas by the embassies.

He said both the governments had agreed not only to issue multiple visas but also allow entry of senior citizens only on production of their passports at borders from July 1. Citizens of both the countries would also be allowed to travel by their cars.

Speaking earlier, Prof Sabir Lodhi said South Asia was a region of peace but the foreign powers continued creating tensions leading to war for promoting their vested interests. He said writers of the countries in the region had always supported peace.

Dr Dilshad Tiwana said writers around the world were opposed to the war because they knew that it created problems instead of solving the same. They were criticising the US for invading Iraq and Afghanistan.

Shafqat Tanvir Mirza said the dove of peace had been restricted to the paper due to the US policy of thrusting war on other countries but the NGOs running on its funds seemed to have fallen in love with peace. He said peace was always bilateral and could not be ensured unilaterally.

Hamid Akhtar said the policy of big powers to create regional tensions for marketing their arms posed a permanent threat to peace. Defence budgets of both India and Pakistan were swelling despite the ongoing peace process as a result of the policy. Both the countries could utilise the funds squandered on arms purchase on the welfare of the people if real peace was achieved.

Mrs. Farkhanda Lodhi said writers should use their pen for peace.