ASIA/PAKISTAN - “PEACE BEGINS AT HOME” FATHER BERNARD INAYAT TELLS FIDES AFTER A PEACE MARCH TO INDIA-PAKISTAN BORDER: FIDES SPEAKS TO IMAMS ABDUL KHABEER AZAD AND WAQAR-UL-HUSNAIN NAQVI

Wednesday, 14 January 2004

Kasur (Fides Service) – To support peace in Kashmir and dialogue between India and Pakistan at levels an interreligious peace march and prayer vigil was held in the area of Kasur along the India-Pakistan border on January 13. The march, organised by the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops of Pakistan was led by Capuchin Friar Francis Nadeem secretary of the Commission.
Recent signs of a peaceful solution for the conflict over the disputed Kashmir region, after years of conflict, have boosted hope among the local people. After a cease-fire declared in December and the recent meeting between the two heads of state who re-launched dialogue, for the first time next week on 22 January the Indian deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani will receive representatives of the All Party Hurriyat Conference comprising various movements and activist groups in Kashmir, demanding independence from India. Despite these efforts for peace, isolated episodes of violence are reported, like the one on 12 January when 11 people were killed.
However these attacks provoked by fundamentalist groups against any moves towards peace, did not discourage representatives of the Christian and Muslim communities in Pakistan from greeting the new year 2004 with an event of prayer, hope and reconciliation.
Fides sources taking part in the peace march said side by side with lighted candles Christians and Muslims prayed and walked to the border where a symbolic olive tree, was planted as a sign of peace. Father Bernard Inayat, one of the organisers said “the aim of the initiative was to start a new reciprocal consideration among the citizens of India and Pakistan: the participants prayed for both peoples as well as their respective political and civil leaders. But peace begins at home, in our thoughts and in our deeds”.
Father Nadeem said “every effort must be made to support India-Pakistan dialogue: every citizen, every social organisation, every political group must strive to adopt a change of attitude and rediscover a constructive approach which will bear lasting fruit. Peace will help both countries to eliminate poverty and promote development.
Fides also spoke with ladeing members of the Muslim community who took part in the march for peace. Abdul Khabeer Azad a Sunni Imam of a mosque in Lahore told Fides: “Islam is a religion of peace and the Muslim community in Pakistan intends to support the peace process started by the government”.
Shiite Imam Waqar-ul-Husnain Naqvi said “with this and similar initiatives we want to show the governments that we want peace for the tormented region of Kashmir and that we will continue to appreciate steps to promote peace in the Indian subcontinent”. The peace ceremony concluded with the releasing of while doves a omen for peace and the reading of a prayer for peace composed by Saint Francis of Assisi.
(PA) (Fides Service 14/1/2004 lines 47 words 460)


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