PESHAWAR, May 31: The High Commissioner of South Africa, Mr Moosa Moolla, has observed that the new emerging world will bring peace and tranquillity to people as the evil forces are destined to disappear from the planet.
Speaking at a photo exhibition organised by the Peshawar Press Club here on Monday to commemorate the 10th democratic elections in South Africa, Mr Moolla said his country was simmering like a volcano when Nelson Mandela was released.
The black population was ready to kill their white compatriots, who had tortured them, perpetrated atrocities on them and disgraced them, but his party, the African National Congress, declared an amnesty for all those who had imposed racial laws on them and deprived them of their person and identity, he added.
The high commissioner said that Mr Mandela had been a source of inspiration for the African people during the apartheid period and later, he turned into a symbol of non-violence for them in the present age of violence.
"Our struggle against apartheid and colonialism is a part of the struggle of the oppressed people of the world. "We have never felt isolated during the war against racism, illiteracy, poverty and diseases eating into the continent," he added.
He said South Africa was steering out of a decades-old burden of apartheid and backwardness and trying to catch up with the developed countries at economic level. This rainbow nation had fully awaken from a deep slumber, he added.
Salim Khattak, a teacher at the Fine Arts Department of Peshawar University, spoke about the theme of the photographs and said Mr Shabbir Hussain Imam had highlighted the somber aspects of society through his camera-lenses.
President Peshawar Press Club said the photo exhibition entitled "Freedom is Priceless" was a humble effort to honour the struggle of the people of South Africa. Dr Zahoor Ahmed Awan spoke about the artistic capabilities of Mr Imam and hoped he would scale more heights in future. A large number of people from different walks of life came to witness the exhibition.