The Rotarians of Pakistan and India have established a special relationship in Rotary International (a global network of community volunteers) to contribute towards bridging the gap between the both countries and to foster fellowship goodwill and peace in the region.
This was stated in a joint declaration issued here on Saturday after a marathon session of the Rotary International conference on conflict resolution and peace in which more than 50 prominent Indian office-bears of Rotary District 3010 comprising Greater Delhi, Haryana, and UP, India are participating at the invitation of Pakistani Rotarians.
The declaration said that the Rotarians of the two countries would implement friendship exchange visits of their members on reciprocal home hospitality basis and organise and hold conflict resolution and goodwill conferences in each district on regular basis to promote international understanding and peace between the two countries.
The Rotarians further agreed to promote business and professional delegations with special emphasis on media and journalist exchange visits between the two countries.
They further pledged to organise cultural events, invite prominent political leaders in each country to visit the other country and attend Rotary programmes on conflict resolution and launch of community service projects; promote and implement short and long-term youth exchange and youth development programmes and implement various social service projects in each country through joint technical and financial partnership.
Earlier, Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League and Chairman Senate Standing Committee on foreign affairs, Mushahid Hussain, Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Shivshankar Menon, Niaz A Naik, former Foreign Secretary, Deepak Talwar, district governor Rotary Delhi, Haryana and UP India , and Mohammad Faiz Kidwai, District Governor Rotary International comprising Afghanistan and Pakistan also addressed the conference.
Mushahid said that the real problem of Pakistan and India were poverty, illiteracy, ,diseases, and violation of human rights, therefore, the two countries should allocate more resources for human and economic development rather than wasting their precious and meager resources on arms race and conflicts.
He suggested that the Indian leadership should grab the opportunity provided by the President General Pervez Musharraf for peace and co-operation in the region since he was making sincere efforts as a visionary to resolve all the outstanding disputes including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir.
Former Foreign Secretary Niaz A Naik who played an important role from back door Track II diplomacy to start the stalled dialogue said that the peace process between the two antagonist neighbours is now irreversible since people want peace and friendship in the region.
He said that the two countries have already taken a number of confidence building measures and the environment has totally changed for the better in the South Asian subcontinent.
The Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Shivshankar Menon said that both India and Pakistan recognise that Jammu and Kashmir must be resolved for permanent peace between Pakistan and India.
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