Interior Ministry has not allowed the participants of the Indo-Pak peace rally to march on the Lahore-Multan route and to meet the people of different cities and told them it would not be possible due to security reason. Now the 11-member group of marchers would reach here by a bus from Lahore under the leadership of Sundeep.
Awaz Foundation(NGO) has set up a camp here to get views and expression of the people about the peace march. A large number of people said:
" We want peace in the sub-continent," "Resolve the Kashmir problem before peace talk," "No war pact is necessary."
The peace rally, which began from March 23rd from the Mausoleum of Hazrat Nizamuddin in Delhi, will be completed on May 10 at the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Suharwardi in Multan.
Marchers will leave for Multan on May 10 after three days' stay at Lahore. A large number of Pakistanis would also join them.
"Participants of Indo-Pak peace march entered Pakistan via Wagha border on Saturday. A large number of volunteers and activists of NGOs, particularly members of the Joint Action Committee for People's Rights (JACPR), warmly received them and they would join peace conference in Multan on May 11," a press release of South Asia Partnership said.
"We have taken foolproof security measures for the safety of the visiting Indians, who are taking part in Indo-Pak Peace March. However, they would be free to go any where in the city and to see this ancient town of the world," said District Nazim Pir Riaz Hussain Qureshi. "We have completed all arrangements for the participants of the peace rally in Multan and thousands of citizens and activists of NGOs and District Government would warmly receive them at Chowk Kuharanwala on May 10," Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman, co-ordinator of Pakistan Peace Coalition Committee said.
On the intervention of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, visas were issued to the participants of the peace rally from Delhi to Multan. Now marchers would reach Multan on May 10 at 4.00 pm, while South Asian Peace conference would be held on May 11. "We have made arrangements for the participants of the peace rally to visit the historical places, shrines of spiritual leaders and they would be accorded a warm reception at the gateway to Multan. A cultural show would also be organised besides a walk from the Kalima Chowk to the Press Club," said Pir Riaz Hussain Qureshi, District Nazim of Multan, while briefing the journalists here on Monday.