Peace is a pre-requisite for development


Peace is a pre-requisite for development
Dr Mazher Hussain from Hyderabad, Deccan: launching "Hangout South Asia".

A delegation of Indian peace activists visiting Pakistan engages with civil society at seminars and discussions in different cities

An Indian delegation of peace activists comprising Syed Mazher Hussain, Jatin Desai, Sardar Nanak Singh Nishtar and Mohammad Omer Abideen visiting Pakistan has been engaging with members of civil society at various seminars and discussions in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, hosted by various organisations working for peace.

In the country’s capital Islamabad last week, they had a lively session at the Quaid-i-Azam University’s Gender Studies department followed by a seminar at the Sustainable Development policy Institute (SDPI).

All these interactions are premised on the view that peace is a pre-requisite for the growth, development and prosperity of any community or region. “Peace provides room for constructive engagements,” to quote SDPI which held a seminar titled “Pakistan – India People’s Dialogue on Peace and Interfaith Harmony: A Way Forward” last Thursday.

Indian and Pakistani delegates at a seminar in Islamabad. Photos: Saeed Ahmed Rid

Indian and Pakistani delegates at a seminar in Islamabad. Photos: Saeed Ahmed Rid

Peace, as the SDPI invite said, frees the mind to search for betterment of humanity. Sadly, this remains a dream in the South Asian region due to various factors.

Talking to Pakistanis, Mazhar Hussain who heads the Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA) in India says that his organization will soon launch “Hangout South Asia”, virtually connecting people across the region.

He also notes that the timing of cross-border fire at the Line of Control (LoC) coincides with the defence budget increase in India. Until and unless people of India and Pakistan get directly involved in peace building, the establishments of both countries will not allow peace to prevail, says Dr Hussain.

Jatin Desai has been involved in the two-decade long struggle of the Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) to build bridges between the people of India and Pakistan. He has long followed the plight of poor fishermen and expresses his happiness at the first ever return of fishermen’s boats by the Pakistani government.

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