Pakistan Global Initiative (PGI) on Saturday staged a protest demonstration, urging the world powers to prefer peace over conflict and waging war against each other as survival of humanity is only embedded in peace.
The protesters led by Advocate Waseem Qureshi said that the world could not afford another war, because it always led to more devastation and destruction.
The protest, like many other parts of the world, was held at the moment when more than 198 people were killed and over 1,000 injured in the ongoing war in Ukraine. Russian President Putin authorized a special military operation on Thursday, with massive air and missile strikes and troops forging into Ukraine from the north, east, and south.
Ukrainian Health Minister Viktor Liashko confirmed his Facebook account, “Unfortunately, according to operative data, at the hands of the invaders we have 198 dead, including 3 children, 1,115 wounded, including 33 children,”.
The protesters in Pakistan urged the Russian authorities to hold dialogue instead of continuing war against Ukraine. The protesters were carrying placards and banners at GPO Chowk in Lahore. The placards inscribed with various slogans urged the Russian authorities to prefer peace over war and conflict.
“Say No to War, ” read a placard, referring to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Another placard said, “Peace is the only solution, ”.
The protesters, consisting of men and women lawyers, urged the Russian President to review his decision to authorize military operation against neighboring Ukraine.
Court Kachehri for Peace and Justice also took part in the protest and raised a voice to end the war in Ukraine, pointing out that the world could not afford another war.
Addressing the participants, Advocate Waseem Qureshi said that the survival of humanity was at stake. He said that no state could afford bloodshed. He stated that the Russian President should not stop dialogue with the Ukrainian leadership. He added that the deadlock could not sustain if dialogue continued and hoped that the Russian authorities would respond positively to the peace call.
The protesters also expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of hundreds of people in the ongoing war in Ukraine. They also asked the Pakistan government to ensure safe repatriation of Pakistani citizens stranded in the war-hit country.