I support aims of Aman Ki Asha: David Miliband

LONDON: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband paid accolades to the Aman Ki Asha initiative and its objective of bringing peace and stability to the South Asian region.

He told The News exclusively that the Aman Ki Asha launched by the Jang Group and the Times of India is an important initiative with noble objectives. He saw in this campaign the potential to promote dialogue in an important and constructive way.

David Miliband said: “The Aman Ki Asha initiative is doing an important job, helping to find common ground between Pakistan and India. It builds on the traditions, history, language and culture that Pakistan and India share.

“I support the aims of this initiative — to bring together the people of the two countries in order to help promote dialogue.”Miliband’s outspoken support follows the groundswell of support the Aman initiative has generated across the world in diverse sections.

In a survey conducted by The News, British Asians have voiced their full support for the historic Aman Ki Asha initiative amid optimism that the Jang Group and the Times of India will pave the way for permanent peace between the warring siblings of 1947 partition.

Prominent advocacy groups, cross-section politicians and leading individuals agreed that Aman Ki Asha initiative has inspired hope in a way unseen before in the conflict-ridden history of the two neighbours.

British Asians of Pakistani and Indian heritage, who number well over 2.5 million in Britain, have lived side by side in this country and the hostilities back home have never -- or rarely -- impacted upon their relations. That how closely and comfortably they are knit in the common culture and togetherness can be witnessed at the time of music concerts, when they rock together to the hits of Rahat Fateh Ali, Daler Mehdi and Bollywood hits, or the political and religious activism against inequality and racism. They support similar causes, their similarities far outnumber their differences. They live mostly in same neighbourhoods in complete peace, work at each otherís businesses, talk endlessly about Bollywood, curries and cricket. And when they are attacked by Neo-Nazis on the basis of their origin and colour of skin, no distinction is made and they are all treated the same way.

Lord Nazir Ahmed, the first ever Muslim peer who is also chair of the All Parties Parliamentary Group on Kashmir, urged both India and Pakistan to resolve the issue of Kashmir -- the fundamental dispute between the two countries. “There is no military solution to the problems between India and Pakistan. All disputes must be resolved through a process of dialogue in which people of Jammu and Kashmir must take active part.”

Dr Ashar Chohan, a PML-N provincial lawmaker, and Dr Rami Ranger, whose parents lived in Multan before Partition, found the Pakistan, India and UK Friendship Forum, more than five years ago to not only advocate harmony between South Asians in the UK but also lobby the Pakistani and Indian governments for resolving the issues.

Dr Chohan and Dr Ranger said the initiative taken by the Jang Group in conjunction with the Times of India in the name of Aman Ki Asha has come at the right time.

They said any tension between India and Pakistan can only help terrorists. This campaign is developing understanding amongst general population and it will certainly lead to dialogues between the governments of two counties. We hope both atomic powers will realise that they must resolve issues as soon as possible. Peace in the region will help fight poverty and bring happy days in the lives of millions living in the subcontinent, they added.

They said there are approximately 25 million Sikhs well settled all over the world whose sacred places are in Pakistan. At present, only a few visit Nankana Sahib but if relations were to improve, then the Sikhs from the US, the UK, Canada, etc will visit in significant numbers with their families and this alone will generate at least four billion pounds of income per year which will grow with time.

Similarly, people from Pakistan will visit India in vast numbers to visit their relatives, and shrines. Indiaís trade to Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia and China can move through Pakistan for further mutual benefit.

In support of the campaign, Bharti Tailor, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, said: “Aman Ki Asha is a wonderful initiative and we hope it is a great success. Here in the UK many people have friendship at individual level but these hit barriers created by the conflict between the two countries. These individuals and many others will welcome this initiative which will hopefully bring an end to hostility and lead to precious resources being used for more constructive purposes.”

Britain’s first Muslim Minister Shahid Malik MP said he had nothing but praise for this “truly inspiring and innovative initiative”.

The UK Local Government and Communities minister said: “Quite often the media is blamed for much negativity in our society but the Jang Group and The Times of India are demonstrating that the media can play an incredibly positive role and be a force for good. Aman Ki Asha is a truly innovative and inspiring initiative and I congratulate the two media giants of India and Pakistan.”

Malik continued: “A resolution of outstanding issues and normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan will deliver a profound peace dividend for the people of the two countries. India and Pakistan have common enemies such as disease, poverty, climate change and terrorism and these are just some of the areas where there can be joint work. There is a real opportunity to substantially increased economic cooperation to the mutual benefit of the two countries and their people.”

Stop the War Coalition, which organised two million-man march against Iraq war, termed the Aman Ki Asha campaign a much-needed intervention. Its chair Lindsey Germam said: “We are facing the threat of a much more dangerous world. The tensions between major powers have been exacerbated by the economic recession and by the fight for resources which takes place in so much of the world. There is still the war on terror which continues in Afghanistan and Iraq, Yemen and Somalia.

“It is very encouraging that at such a time you are launching a campaign for peace in India and Pakistan. The traditional tensions between your countries cannot be allowed to spill over into war. Any future war between India and Pakistan will not only involve nuclear weapons, but will have implications far beyond your borders.”

She recalled that when she organised the two million-man march in 2003 against the Iraq invasion, the demonstrators involved people of all nationalities and religions. “There were many Muslims, but also many Hindus and Sikhs on that day, marching together in unity against war. They were symbolic of even more millions around the world who opposed war and believed it would bring nothing but misery for the ordinary people of Iraq.”

Sheikh Surbland, a leading community activist and philanthropist, said the peace initiative was a remarkable development and called it the first ever popular peopleís movement to bring about peace between the two countries.

“The media has traditionally played up conflicts to increase ratings. The two leading groups from India and Pakistan are making history by launching a serious effort to normalise relations.”

Europe-based nationalist Kashmiris have warmly welcomed the Aman Ki Asha initiative. Leaders of the International Kashmir Alliance (IKA), an umbrella body of various nationalist Kashmiri parties, Dr Shabbir Chaudhry and Sardar Shaukat Ali Kashmiri, while speaking to The News said India and Pakistan must show maturity and learn to live like good neighbours. They must understand that disputes could not be resolved by use of gun. People of India and Pakistan wish to live in peace. They don’t want violence and terrorism. They don’t want extremism and hatred. They want stability and economic prosperity and that could only be achieved if there is peace in the region.

Ashis Ray, president of Indian Journalistsí Association in Europe, said peace between India and Pakistan is imperative, adding the civil society in Pakistan needs to resist the forces of destabilisation.

“A mature way forward for India and Pakistan would be to follow the Sino-Indian path of peace and tranquillity,” which was adopted in 1993 notwithstanding the age-old border dispute. This has resulted in greater confidence and a staggering annual trade turnover of $60 billion. If Islamabad grabs Indiaís Most Favoured Nation (MFN) offer on trade, prosperity for Pakistan is inevitable; stability will follow,î said Ray.

Pakistan Journalists Association (PJA-UK) lauded the daring peace initiative and said the journalist of two countries have a crucial role in bringing the governments together for serious negotiations. Wajahat Ali Khan, PJA’s secretary general, said peace is a prerequisite for stability, peace and prosperity in the Subcontinent. “Peace will strengthen democratic governments and also unity within both of the countries.”

Deepak Kuntawala, the survivor of Mumbai terror attacks who set up the DVK foundation to support victims of terror, said: “I fully support the peace efforts between India and Pakistan, towards global unity as well as solidarity.

“Aman Ki Asha is an excellent positive initiative and as the great Chinese proverb goes, ‘lets light a candle, than to curse the darkness’ -- we all need to stand united, globally, to ensure that we all strive towards doing something positive out of a negative act like terrorism as well as pro active measures to promote global peace.”

Virendra Sharma, Labour Member of Parliament for Ealing Southall, said: “I would like to congratulate the Jang Group in conjunction with the Times of India on launching the Aman Ki Asha campaign. It is crucial that all nations, communities and people work together for peace. I strongly believe in a society where we all respect each others differences and show tolerance to all. Secularism is vital to ensure that all religious beliefs are respected and all communities work harmoniously together. Continuous meaningful dialogue and discussion is the only way to resolve problems and bring about lasting peace. I know that along with myself millions of others will support this campaign and I would urge all supporters of the Aman Ki Asha not to lose hope but to keep continuously working for peace.”

Meanwhile, Mohammad Sarwar MP from Glasgow Central, announced that he would table an Early Day Motion in support of the Aman Ki Asha campaign. It is expected that the EDM will be supported by British parliamentarians of all parties.

Sarwar told The News: “At a time when the entire international community is blighted by the malady of terror, this is certainly a most welcome initiative because a stable and peaceful relationship between the two countries is crucial to establishing peace in the wider region.

“The timing of this campaign is very significant that its launch marks the breakthrough in international relations which we have all eagerly been awaiting; the resumption of formal peace talks between Pakistan and India.

“It also serves as a refreshing reminder not only of the tremendous goodwill that Pakistanis and Indians have towards one another or of how well they can work together, but most importantly of their shared values and common desires.”