Saudi Gazette
ISLAMABAD – Two major media groups of Pakistan and India, Jang Group and Times of India, have joined hands for peace between the two countries.
The initiative, titled ‘Aman Ki Asha’ (Desire for peace), promises to be a path-breaking collaboration between the major media groups, a report in the English language daily The News said.
It will look to inject impetus into Pakistan-India dialogue in a manner that is unparalleled and on a scale that is unprecedented. The turn of the decade brings with it a momentous shot in the arm to the moribund the peace process with the unveiling of a grand cross-border collaborative peace project.
The project aims to provide the ultimate mutual platform to debate the major sticking points in the hitherto fickle peace dialogue on both sides of the border whether it is Kashmir, the water dispute or security. The mission statement is unequivocal, declaring that the two groups commit themselves to a movement that will bring the people and civil institutions of the two countries closer together in fostering an honourable, genuine and durable peace.
While the ultimate aspirations of Aman Ki Asha are undoubtedly lofty to resolve amicably all outstanding issues that serve as hurdles to peace and campaign for collaboration on economic, cultural issues through a media-led civil society movement great care has been taken to figure in realistic and deliverable means to ensure the sustainability of this endeavour.
This commitment is calculated and structured. It seeks to deliver tangible results to push forward the peace process and bring to the fore the benefits of harmony, cooperation and trust that have eluded the people of the subcontinent for over six decades because of restrictive visa regimes and confrontational politics. Involving everything from cultural exchanges to policy debates, the joint undertaking is the product of detailed discussions and meticulous planning by both media groups.
The Aman Ki Asha campaign boasts an exciting feature in the form of a moving peace song composed by famous Indian lyricist and poet, Gulzar, which is recited by none other than Bollywood’s Amitabh Bachchan. The song is sung by Pakistan’s Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and India’s Shankar Mahadevan.
Cultural and people-to-people ties will be strengthened through an array of entertainment programmes, ranging from music concerts to fashion shows featuring the best of both India and Pakistan. Academic and literary exchanges have been arranged to inspire strong intellectual links.
The project also plans to transcend glamour and glitz by cultivating tangible material cooperation. The heavyweights of the business communities on both sides of the divide have been invited to exchange ideas and promote industrial and trade initiatives on a sustained basis in a unique annual economic conference to be held alternately in India and Pakistan.
