Khushwant’s son sees better Indo-Pak relations

LAHORE: “I want to go to Hadali, the birthplace of my father, and I believe that the profound desire will be fulfilled by the hospitable government of Pakistan”.
This was the wish of Rahul Singh, son of internationally acknowledged writer, journalist and columnist Khushwant Sing, which he shared with this scribe at the concluding day of the Lahore Literary Festival on the lawns of Alhamra Arts Council on Sunday. Rahul Singh said it was his second visit to Pakistan and first to the LLF, earlier he had been to Pakistan some 14 years back. Rahul Sing was enthralled by the enthusiasm of the people in general and youths in particular, which he witnessed during the great event. He said that he had never seen this level of hope and enthusiasm in any literary festival he visited in the entire world.
Rahul Singh said that the level of his hopes for a better tomorrow in the relations of the two countries had attained new heights as he had felt a great desire in the people and the youth of both countries to meet each other.
Rahul Singh was highly critical of the prevailing visa regimes and appealed to both governments to make the visa procedures easy for both the people since millions of people in India wanted to visit Pakistan.
Rahul Singh holds a literary festival annually in India and admitted that he had never seen so many literary minded and literature loving people at one place in the world.
Rahul Singh expressed a great desire to visit Hadali, which is between Sargodha and Khushab, where his father Kushwant Singh was born. He said that his visa says “Lahore only”, which is great injustice and he hoped that the government of Pakistan, as a mark of respect to his illustrated father, would allow him a visit to Hadali, which is not far from Lahore but visiting that place would certainly fulfil a lifelong dream.
Rahul said that the people of both countries wanted to live in peace and people-to-people contact was a key to a lasting and productive solution to the so-called problems between the two neighbours which are not problems but the ploy of politicians and bureaucrats from both sides for their vested interests.
Meanwhile, the LLF, the biggest literary event in Asia, attracted over 70,000 people from all over the country and other parts of the world. It has been widely described as a miraculous happening and a historic initiative ion the part of the organizers and the people of Pakistan who, braving the ever looming threats of terrorism, organised the mega event for three long days filled with literary activities. This was also one of rare happenings after many years (besides the last LLF) that so many people have gathered at Alhamra in such a troubled times.
The LLF concluded in a grand musical evening organised by Rafi Peer Theater Workshop and performed by Sain Zahoor, Goonga Sain, Chanar Zehri and many other artistes from various parts of the country, which enthralled the Pakistan, Indian and foreign delegates and the visitors.