Peace activists from Pakistan and India have called for burying the proverbial hatchet permanently between the two countries for promoting peace, alleviating poverty and addressing the pressing problems being faced by one fifth of humanity living in South Asia.
The call was made in a meeting between the Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and Indian Peace delegation headed by veteran journalist, Kuldip Nayar and included Seema Mustafa, Editor the Asian Age, Salman Haider former Foreign Secretary India and Mahesh Bhatt, renowned film producer and Shabnam Hashmi Chairperson of Act Now for Harmony and Democracy, that called on him at the Parliament House on Thursday.
"This is the time to rise above the baggage of history and to chart out a new course of peace and harmony for the sake of our coming generations, said Senator Mushahid Hussain said. He said people of both countries were peace loving and mature, who desired speedy normalisation of relations to move on to the road of development in conformity with the requirements of the 21st century.
He added that no segment of civil society in either country stood for confrontation today. Terrorism and extremism are the common enemies of both the countries, which must be tackled with all seriousness and sincerity and purpose. "Unless there is peace and tranquillity in the region, no meaningful development could take place in South Asia and the teeming millions would remain in the clutches of poverty," he observed.
Former Speaker and Foreign Minister Gohar Ayub Khan said Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah stood for peace between the two countries and was on record as having stated that the relationship between Pakistan and India should be on the model and pattern of the one between Canada and USA.
As Foreign Minister of the country, he said, he always advocated strong CBMs. Kuldip Nayar observed that integrity and stability of Pakistan was absolutely vital for the integrity and stability of India. "Pluralism and democracy are the essence which can guarantee peace and tranquillity since pluralism is what which holds countries together."
He held the view that India's pluralism is its greatest strength, adding there was so much common between the two countries from culture and language to history and geography. "We find spontaneous goodwill wherever we went in Pakistan", he added. The Indian Peace delegation called for establishing soft borders, adding "our salvation lies in a common market and the current peace process must go forward to achieve the desired results."
Senator Tariq Azim Khan who was also present on the occasion recalled his earlier visits to India in connection with furthering the peace process and was happy to note that eight out of the thirteen suggestions made by them for strengthening the CBMs have been implemented. These would go a long way in restoring sanity and amity between the two countries, he observed.