Daily Times

LAHORE: A seminar was held at Government College University on Saturday to celebrate late veteran Indian journalist Kuldip Nayar’s vision for peace.

Kuldip Nayar’s granddaughter Mandira Nayar who is also a journalist, chaired the seminar and later planted a “peace tree” in her grandfather’s name at Shahab Gardens of GCU.

Speaking on the occasion, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan President IA Rehman said that the vision for peace as perceived by Kuldip Nayar and many other eminent people on both sides is the only way forward for India and Pakistan.

“The price, which the people of South Asia have paid for confrontation between the two neighbouring countries, is enormous and you could not even calculate it. There are differences and disputes between India and Pakistan but these need to be resolved through peaceful dialogues,” he added.

He said that Pakistanis and Indians had been the leaders of independence movement all over the world.

“Among all the British colonies, we were the first to get independence. This was the only instance in the history when such a big colony had got independence without any external support,” he said.

IA Rehman who is also the president of South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) recalled how there were 320 PhDs in Hindustan in 1947.

“We had the experience, universities, world’s most developed irrigation system, railways and all the skills. We could have been a force of development, democracy and peace in the whole world but unfortunately we started fighting and both India and Pakistan paid the price for it,” he concluded.

Talking to students, Mandira Nayar said her grandfather spent his entire life preaching peace and friendship between India and Pakistan but his vision could not be realised in his lifetime. She said that every year, her grandfather went to Wagah Border and walked up to these iron gates and lit candles, wishing that one-day this light of peace would spread over both the countries. She said that GCU was the place where her grandfather was introduced to politics by the leadership of Democratic Student’s Federation.

SAFMA Secretary General Imtiaz Alam said that it is very heart-breaking that if you talked for peace in India and Pakistan, your patriotism was doubted, adding that people like Kuldip were the voice of their own consciousness but they were called agents and candle mafias.

Despite the blooded and violent partition, Imtiaz Alam said he had not seen resentment in Kuldip’s generation from both sides. They always had great love for the places where they were born. They were a buffer zone between India and Pakistan and they never left their peace agenda.

GCU Vice Chancellor Professor Hassan Amir Shah said that this seminar was a great opportunity to learn about great people like Kuldip.

“Peace, harmony and friendship; no matter how illusive they might be when it came to India and Pakistan, but in the times of tribulation and tension, there had been few individuals who didn’t waiver and whose faith in restoration of peace remained a guiding light for all those who subscribed to the notion of humanity, peace and tranquillity,” he added.

Eminent writer Professor Dr Saadat Saeed said that this world was not primarily for the countries but for mankind. GCU English Department Chairperson Professor Siddique Awan also addressed the seminar.

Published in Daily Times, September 7^th 2018.