Peace Caravan, comprising of civil society activists, intellectuals, writers, trade union and peasant leaders and other participants of the 'Peace Caravan' organised by the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) have expressed solidarity with terrorism affected people of NWFP.
The 'Peace Caravan' started from Karachi on February 13 via Khyber Mail train visited various terrorism affected areas of Peshawar city and residences of the victims' families during their stay. Local civil society activists and labour leaders also joined them. Addressing a reception held in their honour by Peshawar Press Club, the peace activists condemned the terrorism activities in NWFP and demanded of the government to take stringent action against extremists and terrorists.
Peace activists, Samina, labour leader, Gul Rehman and civil society activist, Dr Said Alam Mehsud, president Peshawar Press Club, Shamim Shahid and others addressed the reception. Beside, members of the peace caravan, local journalists and civil society activists attended at large.
The Peace Caravan consists of about 90 peace activists and representatives of various political parties, trade unions, peasants' organisations and non-governmental organisations, intellectuals and poets from Karachi, Hyderabad, Shahadadpur, Khairpur, Sukkur, Khanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Lahore, Jehlum and Rawalpindi. A large number of female members are also part of the Caravan.
The decision of sending the Peace Caravan was taken during a consultation meeting of the civil society organisations with Karachi Press Club on November 13, 2009 to organise a delegation for Peshawar to express solidarity with the people of NWFP, but keeping in view the great interest of the civil society that delegation was converted into a 'Peace Caravan".
The objectives of the Peace Caravan was to express solidarity with the people of NWFP and peace in city in particular, mobilise working class, civil society and political parties against terrorism, build pressure on the government to fulfil its responsibility of maintenance of law and order, raise voice against US led international war on terror and massacre by Taliban and create harmony among working people in their difficult times.
Speaking on the occasion, the organisers of the Peace Caravan said that the terrorists have started directly targeting common citizens through bombs and suicidal blasts at public places. The people of NWFP have paid a heavy price for Talibanisation and war on terror. They also expressed solidarity with the journalist community, as Peshawar Press Club was also not spared by the terrorists.
They said that a large number of people of NWFP in general and Malakand Division in particular have been displaced due to fear of terrorists or army operation and most of the workers have been rendered jobless due to growing incidents of suicidal blasts and bomb explosions in other parts of the province.
The Caravan leaders said that in the face of growing incidents of terrorism in the country, the rulers have failed in their primary responsibility of protecting the lives of the citizens of Pakistan, while on the other hand they are wholly focused on the 'war on terror' which the Nato and US forces are subverting to serve their own vested interests in our region.
They said that the people of Pakistan immediately need peace as they have already rejected the extremists' elements including Taliban and al Qaeda terrorists at all levels. People have also refused to accept the defective foreign policy of Pakistan, which is actually designed by international forces for their own interests.
The participants of the Peace Caravan called for declaration of the province as 'Calamity hit) and the provision of financial assistance by the federal government. They said that all unemployed people of the province should be provided social protection and compensations.
They demanded provision of financial assistance to the people of worst affected areas of Malakand Division, Waziristan and other areas to enable them in restarting their normal life. The state, they said should ensure uprooting of the elements, which are supporting Talibanisation and stringent measures against those spreading extremism and sectarian strife in the society.
They also called for immediate stoppage of the US intervention in the foreign policy of Pakistan and drone attacks in Pakistani areas and asked the government to prepare a comprehensive and effective programme for rehabilitation of the terrorism hit families.
The members of the Peace Caravan also called for initiating of special measures for protection and rehabilitation of terrorism affected women and children, stoppage of all unnecessary defence expenditures and the diversion of the funds to the provision of social protection to the working people and guaranteeing of essential services like education, health, clean, drinking water, electricity, gas, employment and easy justice.
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