SAFMA holds vigil for peace at Pakistan-India border

16 Aug 2011

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SAFMA prays for peace at India-Pakistan border

South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) and Hind Pak Dosti Manch organized a candlelight vigil on August 14-15 night at the India-Pakistan border to pay homage to the martyrs of independence and promote peace. Carrying candles in their hands with the message of friendship, peace and love, peaceniks from both the countries turned up for the vigil in good numbers. They raised slogans for promoting peace in the region and improving relations between the two countries. While SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam, Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Shakeela Rasheed television anchor Anjum Rashid and Indian singer Hans Raj Hans led the vigil from Pakistani side, Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar, SAFMA Pakistan President Nusrat Javeed, SAFMA India Joint Secretary Satnam Singh Manak and filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt headed it from the Indian side, joined by locals and other members of the civil society. They carried out a candlelight march up to the Wahga-Attari border. SAFMA and other peace activists from India and Pakistan called upon the two countries to liberalize visa regime, allow free movement of people, information and goods, and engage in an uninterrupted and uninterruptable dialogue process. They emphasized normalization of relations to solve the disputes. “India and Pakistan should join hands in tackling poverty, environment, energy and other issues and put together security mechanisms to fight out terrorism,” said Imtiaz Alam. Veteran journalist and president of the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, Kuldip Nayyar, said the activists would continue their efforts to promote friendship between India and Pakistan. He urged them to stop the arms race and create an atmosphere of mutual trust. Before the vigil, the evening was marked by an event in which prominent Indian and Pakistani artists performed both oin Lahore and Amrisar. Prominent Pakistani singers Shaukat Ali and Mubarak Ali Kanwal and Indian singers Harbhajan Mann, the Noora sisters, the Ali brothers, Masha Ali and Diljan enthralled the audience at the Attari grain market. On the Pakistani side Indian folk singer Hans Raj Hans enthralled the audience with popular songs. Pakistani singer Shaukat Ali, who was part of a SAFMA delegation that went to Amritsar, said that people-to-people contact would help heal old wounds of Partition. “We are doing what the governments of the two nations should be doing. It is up to the people of India and Pakistan to usher in peace,” he said.