HYDERABAD, Jan 2: The Pak-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy condemned lathi-charge by the law enforcement agencies on the rally held at Wagah border, near Lahore, which had been held for peace and against the tension between the two countries.
The leaders of the Forum, Hyderabad chapter, Mir Sikandar Ali Talpur, Zafar A. Rajput, M. Shabbir Khilji, and Dr. Merajuddin among others, in a joint statement issued on Wednesday, also condemned the misbehaviour of the law enforcement agencies towards women protesters.
The lawyers also took strong exception on the ban imposed on Ms Nirmala Deshpande, an exponent of the Pak-India Friendship and Peace, and the chairperson of the Indian chapter of the Forum, Ramdas, by India.
These messengers of peace, the lawyers said, were on a peace mission to Pakistan and wanted to enter the country to meet President Gen Pervez Musharraf.
They said this action by India will sabotage the peace efforts between the two countries and will encourage the extremist elements.
The leaders of the forum have appealed to the Indian and Pakistani governments to withdraw their forces from the borders and initiate negotiations to resolve the existing problems between the two countries.
They also appealed to the two governments to restore air and land travelling facilities for the people of Pakistan and India.
Meanwhile, the chairman, Lawyers Equity Action Committee, Hyderabad, Advocate Zahoor A. Baloch has supported the efforts of President Gen Pervez Musharraf undertaken by him in the interest of national security.
He said every lawyer of Hyderabad appreciated the statesmanship of the president.
DIALOGUE: Representatives of political parties, religious and social welfare organizations asked the people of India to pressurize their government to refrain from creating a war-like situation.
They said this at a meeting held under the chairmanship of the Zila Nazim, Dr Makhdoom Rafiquz Zaman, at the Shahbaz Hall on Wednesday.
The meeting emphasized the need for a dialogue between the two countries as confrontation between the two countries was not a solution to the existing problem.
It said that the people of the two countries were facing problems of poverty, health care and education and they were lagging far behind developed countries in these areas.
The meeting, however, resolved that if war was thrust on Pakistan then every citizen would be ready to sacrifice their lives to defend their motherland.
It assured the government of Pakistan that all the political and religious parties would fight against the enemy side by side with their valiant armed forces.
The meeting resolved to hold a Pakistan Solidarity Rally on Jan 6 at 2pm, which would be attended by the workers of all the political and religious parties and social welfare organizations.