Homage paid to Bulleh Shah

Published August 28, 2004

KASUR, Aug 27: The peace process between Pakistan and India should be allowed to continue and obstacles in the way will be removed with the passage of time, according to Indian parliamentarian Dr Nirmala Desh Pande.

Dr Pande is heading a 22-member delegation visiting Kasur to pay homage to Hazrat Baba Bulleh Shah at his annual urs. She was speaking at a seminar organized by the International Bulleh Shah Forum on 'peace for all' at a local hall on the second day of the urs on Friday.

Prominent among others were PPP MNA Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad and World Punjabi Forum chairman Fakhar Zaman.

She called upon the governments of both the countries to make the visa policy simple. A list of 1,000 Pakistani visitors should be prepared and it would be submitted to the Indian government for approval, she said.

Dr Kuljit Shellie, who has been awarded a PhD degree for her work on Baba Bulleh Shah, said people of India and Pakistan must strive for a harmonious living. She said: "The teachings of Baba Bulleh Shah guide us to promote harmony and peace."

An Indian delegate, Prof Vishvarnath, donated Rs11,000 for the development of the sufi poet's shrine. Earlier, Dr Nirmala and other delegates visited the shrine and laid chaddars by themselves and on behalf of the Indian prime minister and the foreign minister.

Later, Dr Nirmala was presented a shield and other gifts by the forum. Speaking on the occasion, Fakhar Zaman also called for easy visa policy for travelling between the two countries. He said events would be celebrated in Lukhnow, Mumbai, Kanpur, Amritsar and other India places to promote harmony.

Meanwhile, the 14th Baba Bulleh Shah conference was also held under the auspices of the Majlis-i-Baba Bulleh Shah at the Kasur library hall. Scholars, poets and Punjabi language experts paid homage to the saint in prose and poetry.

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