E-Paper
Taking the peace process forward
AWAITING EAGERLY for the white dove to croon, the citizens of India and Pakistan sincerely want to take the peace process forward. This message was voiced in a meeting of the delegates of both the nations held in Pakistan, said Rajkumar Chopra, secretary of Servants of People Society who made a trip to the neighbouring country along with the 19- member delegation from India.
AWAITING EAGERLY for the white dove to croon, the citizens of India and Pakistan sincerely want to take the peace process forward.
This message was voiced in a meeting of the delegates of both the nations held in Pakistan, said Rajkumar Chopra, secretary of Servants of People Society who made a trip to the neighbouring country along with the 19- member delegation from India. They were invited by Liberal Forum of Pakistan on a seven-day tour from March 21 to 27 under the activity of 'South Asia Fraternity'. Chopra was the lone delegate from Allahabad out of three chosen from the entire State.
According to Chopra, in a seminar attended by the former ministers of Pakistan, ex-ambassadors, businessmen, scholars and youths, the speakers were unanimous that fraternity is the ultimate solution to put an end to the estranged relationships. They also agreed to the fact that bureaucrats were least interested in bridging the gap for fulfilling their political motives.
"Another seminar was held at Faisalabad Press Club where stress was laid on the exchange of delegation of professionals, mediapersons and liberal people to strengthen the peace process. Stress was also laid on enhancing the trade links among the SAARC countries, especially between India and Pakistan," said Chopra.
The birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh was celebrated at Lahore on March 24.
"In a seminar held on the occasion, people were of the opinion that the governments of both the nations should apologise for the violence during partition in 1947. Speakers said that peaceful relationship with the neighbours is vital for the overall development and they felt that the governments of both the nations must reduce the security budget," said Chopra.
Chopra also had memorable experiences when the entire Indian group was greeted with the slogans of 'Hindustan Zindabad' at Ghantaghar Crossing in Faisalabad. "We also visited the historical places such as Gurudwara of Nankana Saheb, and also the first office of Servants of People Society which has the forensic lab functioning there at present. However, Lok Sewak Mandal is still written on the building. Very few of us know that the first DAV College was set up at Lahore by Lala Lajpat Rai," said Chopra.
"People of both the nations are eager for educational and cultural exchanges between the two nations so as to speed up the process of harmony," said Chopra.
