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INTERNATIONAL

Thursday, July 1, 2010

A border crossing to remember


he Commonwealth Games taking place in New Delhi this year are an achievement for all of South Asia, said Shahbaz Sharif, Chief Minister Punjab, speaking at a dinner in Lahore the night before the Queen Batons Relay Ceremony at Wagha border between Pakistan and India on June 25, 2010. It is an opportunity for us to showcase our culture, traditions, rich history and the wealth of our hospitality. We wish the Indian government and the organisers every success and assure them of our full support and cooperation. Cooperation was much in evidence the following day at the Baton handingover at Wagha, organised by the Olympics Associations of Pakistan and India. Aman Ki Asha, the joint peace initiative of the Jang Group of Pakistan and The Times of India Group joined in the celebrations with their Peace Chain event, in which schoolchildren tied together strings of handkerchiefs inscribed with peace messages from both countries. With some 200,000 peace hankies completed by schoolchildren in India and about 30,000 in Pakistan, these hankies would form the longest ever such chain if joined together. Nadia Khan did a special show on the event, which her production team took to exciting levels by introducing a sequence of performances that energised and captivated the crowd of mostly schoolchildren and teachers.

A salute to Toba Tek Singh


oba Tek Singh, the town made famous by Sadat Hasan Mantos short story with that title, has recently made the news for its active participation in peace efforts between India and Pakistan. On the evening of June 24, the Toba Tek Singh District Administration invited civil society, the district bar association, media, traders and people of all sections of life to a meeting aimed at encouraging young peace makers of Toba Tek Singh who were setting off for the border very early (2.00 am) the next morning to participate in the Peace Chain event organised by Aman ki Asha. The peace movement in this town owes much to the prominent Pakistani human rights activist and development icon Rev. Fr. Bonnie Mendes, a former parish priest of the Catholic Church, Toba Tek Singh. Mendes played an active role in trying to deescalate tensions between Pakistan and India in the wake of the 1998 nuclear tests and continues to support education in the district from Thailand where he is currently based. We are thankful to him for gifting the people of Toba Tek Singh with his vision, said Ashfaq Fateh, Principal of St Peters School, Toba Tek Singh, who led the delegation and considers himself a disciple of Rev. Fr. Bonnie Mendes. And we are so glad to have participated in the peace chain event on the zero line.

Above: A section of the two peace hankies chains that met their Indian counterparts at the border; Below: Cameramen crowd the gates on the Pakistan side as the peace chains are knotted together

s I thought the border was an area where the army men of the two countries with heavy weapons were deployed to fight but I was surprised to see people on both sides were waving hands and sending peace greetings to each other. I could feel the thirst to meet each other. I pray that may there be peace in India and Pakistan Uzma Munawar, 13 years old

Above: Nadia Khan talks to artist Salima Hashmi; cricket hero Zaheer Abbas and his wife, interior designer Sam Abbas

s When I took part in the handkerchiefs drawing, I did not have any idea on what to write but the exchanges with Indian friends have given me new ideas and a real meaning of peace between India and Pakistan. Thanks to Aman ki Asha for their worthy role in bridging the gaps between people of the two countries Nida Ashfaq, 14 years old souls. No force can stop positivity and truth from penetrating into other hearts. Heart to heart, there are NO boundaries, NO borders, NO closed gates and no negative thinking. Humanity is all about love and we all are humans fortunately, and more fortunate are we who are working for peace building. I feel so moved while writing this to you. Accept my heartfelt love, gratitude and affection. Please share this with everyone who was involved in the organisation of this wonderful event. Hats off!! -Faiza Shahid Khan, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Agahi, Lahore

Speak out for peace

Najam Shiraz (and daughter Haya) and Jawad Ahmed work the crowds, surrounded by children and the Governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer. THE FIRST STEP LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
Feedback, contributions, photos, letters: Email: amankiasha@janggroup.com.pk Fax: +92-21-3241-8343 Post: aman ki asha c/o The News, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi

We and all our students had great fun, the idea of hankies peace chain, made by children was really awesome and distinctive. We wish you all the best for Aman ki Asha... There should be no end to the peace process. For my dear Indian friends: I am sorry that I was not able to contact you from Wagah... My phone stopped working because of mobile phone jammers, but I was so concerned and anxious on the opposite end. I am writing to you as an ordinary concerned citizen of Pakistan. I so appreciate the organisation and the warmth which was so apparent from

Dear Aman ki Asha,


the Indian side, from the gorgeous decoration of the gate to each and every gesture. I am not sure I will ever see you and those cute Indian kids again or not, or if I would ever experience the warmth in the loving eyes of Roshni, who was with us at the rehearsal, and all other girls and boys on the other side of the border and their positivity of attitudes... But the charm of the beautiful event will always live in my mind. I wish this peace chain may travel from borders to hearts, minds and

Pakistan Rangers Luddi Party gives an energetic performance

From top: The Pakistan flag flutters in the early morning light at Wagha border on June 25; Shuja ud Din Malik, wrester, Gold Medalist and record holder of the 18th Commonwealth Games ends the last leg of the Queens Baton Relay in Pakistan by handing the Baton over to Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer; All participants pay their respects to the Pakistan national anthem played by a brass band; Governor Punjab and President Pakistan Olympics Association Lt. Gen. (r.) S. Arif Hasan share a light moment; members of the Queens Baton Relay wait to escort the Baton back to India; close-ups of a peace hanky and the border gates.

We have come today to talk, hear and see peace on the border, nine-year old Sulman Asghir, of St. Marys Convent High School, Sahiwal, told the Pakistani bhangra singer, Jassi Singh after his wonderful performance which had, however, included some aggressive gestures towards India. I didnt like it when you implied that India is our enemy. Its not our enemy, its our neighboring country. We can change our friends but we cant change our neighbors. The singer agreed with the child, admitting that he had been playing to the gallery.

Photos: Mansoor Ahmed, Shiraz Mukarram, Beena Sarwar A peace initiative whose time has come... Destination Peace: A commitment by the Jang Group, Geo and The Times of India Group to create an enabling environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together, contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between our countries.

Comments from children from St Peters School, Toba Tek Singh

s I could not sleep for nights and kept on imagining the border. What would the students from India be like? How would they behave? But everything was so nice. The Indian students smiles held the answers to my questions. I wanted to cross the border to spend time with them and wanted to invite them to visit my beautiful city of Toba Tek Singh Arzoo Buta, 11 years old

Above left: School children from Pakistan hold up the peace banner signed by 1900 children and teachers in Abbottabad; Left: Some childrens toes visible at the white line marking the border as they hand the banner over to their Indian counterparts; Above: Indian schoolchildren pull one rope of Pakistani and Indian peace hankies over to their side after knotting them together, as the other joined rope is pulled into Pakistan.

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