Students inscribe peace messages on handkerchiefs; Speakers declare Aman Ki Asha a roadmap to peace Friday, May 14, 2010
By Arif Ghias
TOBA TEK SINGH: Students of St Peter’s High School joined Aman Ki Asha, an initiative launched by the Jang Group and the Times of India, to promote peace between India and Pakistan.
The school organised a programme titled ‘Aman Mein Mera Hissa’ (my contribution to peace). Sixty students, including boys and girls, were given white handkerchiefs and they carved the messages of peace for Indian students. The students also carved various peace symbols, quotations, prayers and wishes on the handkerchiefs. The messages that attracted people from various walks of life were: ‘May peace be in India’, ‘May peace be in Pakistan’, ‘Please ask your government to ensure water supply for Pakistani rivers’, ‘No to arms’, ‘Yes to progress’, ‘India and Pakistan should work together to end terrorism’, ‘Peace is like a river flowing through you and me’, I love Pakistan and India’, ‘Let us make our paradise — Kashmir — a safe heaven’, ‘Let us press our governments to ease travelling between the people of two countries’, ‘Yes to peace’ and ‘No to war’.
Addressing the students, PML-N MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq praised the efforts of the Jang Group and the Times of India for launching a joint venture to promote peace between the two nations. He hoped that ‘Aman Ki Asha’ would help change the mindset of the people of two countries. “Aman Mein Mera Hissa has provided a forum to students where they will learn the values of peace, love, tolerance and joy,” he maintained.
He stressed the need for reducing the defence budgets of both countries and allocating more and more funds for education, health and other basic needs of the people.
“There are miseries, terrorism and mistrust in both countries while ‘Aman Ki Asha’ is a great hope and a roadmap to peace,” he maintained. The PML-N MPA said that he visited India a few months ago and found that the Indian people truly wanted friendship and they discussed with him the benefits of trade between both countries.
The Society for Human Development Deputy Director, Rafia Salomi, encouraged parents and teachers for motivating their children to be a part of the chain for peace. PML-N Minorities Wing President Rasheed Jalal declared the programme ‘Aman Mein Mera Hissa’ a milestone for the two nations. He said that it was expected from the Jang Group, the biggest media group in the country, to involve the masses of both countries in the peace initiative. He asked the people of both countries to follow both groups for lasting peace in the region. On the occasion, students chanted slogans for peace and harmony between both countries. Lunch was served to the students who participated in the programme.
Talking to The News after the programme, Christian leader Rev Fr Simon Khurshid said that the students had given a clear message through their artwork that no one could stop them from promoting peace in both countries. He added that it was not simple artwork, but a reflection of students’ aspirations, dreams and vision for the two countries.
Nida Ashfaq, a student of class 9, prayed that may peace prevail in the two countries. Arzoo Bhutta, a Class 8 student, expressed great joy over her contribution she made to peace. Nisar Amjad, a student of Class 9, was desirous to have friends in India and was grateful to the Jang Group for fulfilling his dream. Ashfaq Fateh, a rights activist, thanked students, parents and social and political leaders to witness and encourage the students who expressed their feelings for peace in the South Asian region. He assured that the Jang Group would always be supported for its efforts for peace.
Talking about Aman Ki Asha, Anjuman-e-Tajran President Chaudhry Muhammad Akram said that though there were great differences, but it was fact that the trade ties would benefit the people of both countries. District Press Club Secretary General Tariq Saeed said that rulers of both countries had been using the differences for their vested interests. “It is a reality that people of both countries are in favour of friendship,” he asserted. Jamaat-e-Islami District Ameer Dr Zahid Sattar said that peace efforts could not bear fruit until the Kashmiris were given the right of plebiscite.
