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Candlelight vigil preaches peace
Our Correspondents

Parliamentary delegations of India and Pakistan, including Kuldeep Nayyar, filmstar Raj Babbar and former ministers of Pakistan Aitzaz Ahgan and Iqbal Haider, at a candlelight vigil for peace and harmony at the Indo-Pak joint checkpost at Wagah on Thursday midnight. — PTI

Wagah (Amritsar), August 15
Singing ‘Sanu nahin chahide ailan nit jang de, asi dowan passian di khair ni mangde’ (we don’t need declarations of war everyday, we pray for the well-being of both sides all the time) by folk singers, candles were lit at Hind-Pak Dosti Memorial at Wagah joint check-post on the eve of independence of India by a delegation of 12 MPs from Pakistan and India and journalists.

Candlelight vigil programme came into limelight for the first time in its eight-year history, the Pakistan parliamentarians belonging to all major parties including the Pakistan People Party (Benazir Bhutto), the Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif) along with Kuldip Nayyar, Raj Babbar, activists of the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch and the Folklore Research Manch, participated in the programme held for the promotion of friendship between two countries.

The Pak MPs were accorded warm welcome by the people waving flags, who had gathered at the venue to witness the event. This was also for the first time that large screens were used.

Mr Aitzaz Hasan, leader of the Pakistani delegation in an emotional speech said that “we share same culture, eating habits, language, air and rivers, water, but political leaders for their narrow gains do not want them meet.” Mr Hasan said both sides had done mistakes in the past but it was no good to repeat them. He said there were several forces bent on to snapping the relations.

Kuldeep Nayyar said that for the past eight years they had been knocking at the door of their neighbours and eventually they had responded. Mr Raj Babbar speaking on the occasion said that governments of both countries had now started feeling the impulse of people and would force them (governments) to bury the hatchet.

Members of the Front for Trilateral Resolution of J&K problem wearing placards proclaiming “peaceful resolution of Kashmir and involvement of citizens of J&K in any talk” also participated in the programme. Sixty members, including 20 women delegation headed by Mr Hoshiar Singh interacted with the people present at the candlelight vigil and stressed that all eight ethnic communities including Kashmiris, Dogras, Kargilis, Ladakhis, Gilgitis, Pathwaris and Baltis must be given representation in talks between India and Pakistan for resolving the Kashmir issue.

Mr Satnam Manak, general secretary of the manch and vice-president of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) said the Hind Pak Dosti Manch would shortly purchase four acres plot near Attari border to erect a peace memorial in the memory of those killed in the 1947 partition.

The police had a tough time controlling the crowd. A cultural programme was also organised and a number of Punjabi folksingers, including Pammi Bai, Balkar Sidhu, Jatinder Dhillon and others enthralled the audience.

Friendship function turns sour
PGPC co-chairman refuses to light candles at Zero Line
Chander Parkash
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 15
The very purpose of organising a candlelight show at the Zero Line at the Hussainiwala joint checkpost in Ferozepore district by the Indo-Pak Friendship Society this evening was defeated when Mr Sham Singh, co-chairman, Pakistan Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PGPC) refused to light the candles and instead, started using derogatory remarks against the Indian Government.

Information gathered by TNS revealed that Mr Sham Singh, when invited to light the candles at Zero Line after the Retreat Ceremony, refused to do the same by alleging that Indian Government had attacked the Golden Temple and demolished the building of Akal Takht in 1984.

He said the Indian Government had also been playing mischief with the interests of Pakistan for the past many decades and so he would not light the candles.

Mr Sham Singh had gone to the Zero Line for the first time on the invitation of Indo-Pak Friendship Society, Ferozepore, which organised its first ever candlelight show at the Hussainiwala border to spread the message of peace and universal brotherhood between India and Pakistan.

Mr Satya Pal Baghi, chairman, Indo-Pak Friendship Society, when contacted, said Mr Sham Singh had used derogatory remarks against India under pressure of the ISI and other agencies of Pakistan. He added that four other prominent figures of Pakistan were to arrive at the joint checkpost to participate in the candlelight show, but they were not allowed to come there by Pakistani agencies.

However, he said, the arrival of Mr Sham Singh at the checkpost was a big achievement of the society. He added that though 5,000 persons participated in the function, BSF officials did not cooperate with them. He added that the society had also invited a number of dignitaries of India but only Bibi Gurcharan Kaur, MP, turned up.

He said next year, they would organise same function on August 14 at the memorial to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru.