NEW DELHI: A delegation of leading Pakistani citizens urged India and Pakistan to either sign a “no war” pact or pledge to forsake an armed conflict.
Stating that war had ceased to be a mechanism for resolving disputes, former Pakistan finance minister Mubashir Hasan called for shedding “the outdated notions of the past and forge ahead in a new world of brotherhood, love, peace and progress.”
Hasan, who is leading a five member delegation of journalists, political scientists and human Rights activists, reminded leaders of both the countries of poverty, illiteracy and other missense experienced by their peoples and called for reducing tension keeping in view the peaceful changes all over the world.
“It is time that the governments and political leaders in the subcontinent took a serious look at the contemporary developments around the world,” he told a symposium “India Pakistan Relationship” here.
Iqbal Ahmed, a noted political scientist, said apart from a “no war” pledge, both governments should immediately begin preliminary discussions aimed at resolving the differences and start implementing confidence building measures, including people to people contact and free flow of media materials.
Stating that he would oppose Islamabad regime if he found evidence of its interference in Kashmir, Ahmed said “one could assume its interference because of the existence of the so called Kashmir government there and the free availability of arms and ammunition in Pakistan.”
A leading advocate and human rights activists, Asima Jahangir, pleaded for building up of strong public opinion on both sides of the border to avoid war.
Jahangir said the problems in Kashmir and Sind were the result of “the failure of the respective governments to keep their commitments.”
While the Pakistan regime had “totally neglected” the welfare of people in Sind” India’s failure in implementing secularism like the Shah Bano judgment and the Sati law, had resulted in disenchantment in Kashmir,” she said.
Jahangir said the people in India and Pakistan were liberal both in both countries there were fundamentalist groups who would preach hatred and war and “are more organized than those who stood for peace and harmony.”
Article extracted from this publication >> June 8, 1990
