The seminar, which was presided over by Maulana Abdul Sattar Edhi, was titled Jung insaniyat ki dushman hai (War is humanity’s enemy).
Dr Jafar Ahmed said that war frenzy whipped by India was a trap for Pakistan. He suggested that it was time Pakistan revised its foreign policy vis-a-vis the Kashmir issue. “It goes without saying that the people of Kashmir have a right to self-determination, but there is no reason for us to help them practically. Even if we help them in a secretive manner, the world will get to know thanks to satellite technology which can spy on everything under the sun.”
Secondly, he added, Pakistan should launch a “peace offensive”. “Pakistan has been on the defensive since Sept 11. India complains of one issue. Pakistan denies the charge. The international community pressures Pakistan which had no choice but to effect a turnaround.” He suggested Pakistan set out a calendar for de-escalation.
Thirdly, he stressed, India and Pakistan must initiate people-to-people contact.
Dr Haroon Ahmed said psychologists had at first tried to prove that violence, war, etc., were part of human nature. “Modern research, however, proves the theory wrong. It is now agreed that violence is an acquired trait.”
He pointed out that mode of war had changed a lot over the years. “In the past, governments at war used to make an effort not to hit civilians and whenever they were targeted inadvertently the governments used to apologize. Now the killing of civilians is referred to as ‘collateral damage’.”
He stressed that if war broke out between India and Pakistan, it would be a nuclear war.
Artist Aftab Zafar said the people of Kashmir had been fighting their war of independence. He added that Pakistan had extended only moral support to the Kashmiris.
Actor Mustafa Qureshi wondered why tensions between Pakistan and India escalated only when Pakistan was under military rule. ”One man cannot run the government. Even if he has been allowed by the Supreme Court to be president till Oct 2002, he must consult politicians, particularly the leaders of the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz group).
He urged the artists of the Indian film industry to take out anti-war rallies on the streets of Mumbai.
Musician Arshad Mahmood said when a person made anti-India statements in Pakistan, he was considered patriotic. Similarly when a person made anti-Pakistan statements in India, he was considered patriotic. “There is no need for us to underline our patriotism by making statements against India and Pakistan.”
Fatima Surriya Bajiya said Pakistan and India had been in a state of war for the past over 50 years. “When soldiers die — whether in India and Pakistan — entire families were destroyed.” She said the powers that be had dumped a great amount of arsenal in Pakistan and India which they were now eager to use.
Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui blamed the Indian government for whipping up war hysteria. He quoted an article of The Hindua which called upon India’s prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to desist from waging a war against Pakistan. He quoted another article by Nobel prize-winning Arundhati Roy in which she had criticized the Indian government.
He said that 22 million people had died in Second World War. He added that between 1945 and 1992 more than 31 million people had been killed in conflicts. If a nuclear war broke out, more people would die.
Dr Manzoor Ahmed said the problem with India and Pakistan was that they needed each other. “Both India and Pakistan need common enemies to forge unity among their ranks.”
He said that from Karachi to Torkham the entire region had been anti-intellectual. “The working paradigm of the region is based on submission to authority. In this region, intellectuals waste themselves in newspaper articles and in Arts Councils.”
Ahmed Shah, who compered the seminar, read out an anti-war resolution.
The vice-president of the Arts Council, S.H. Hashmi, journalist Mahmood Sham, artist Anwer Maqsood, artist Gulgee, columnist Jamiluddin Aali and others also spoke.