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aman ki asha Destination Peace

AN INITIATIVE OF THE JANG GROUP AND THE TIMES OF INDIA

INTERNATIONAL

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

OAKS FOR PEACE

By Naila Inayat

TESTIMONIALS

t was a cloudy morning at Wagah border last Saturday, Feb 23, 2013, as representatives of Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore, welcomed the Old Associates of Kinnaird (OAKs) from India arriving in Pakistan to participate in Kinnairds Centennial celebrations. Vibrant exchanges of salaam namastes filled the air and the cool air was infused with warmth as Pakistanis and Indians greeted each other. Crossing the border were four OAKs accompanied by sixteen others, some representing mothers or aunts who were unable to make the trip, Lahore, 1928: Isabella T. McNair (in the centre) with her class in front of the Red House. like Priyo Batra, the President of Girls High School before going on to Dhody. For me this land is no OAKs India chapter who could not graduate from Kinnaird in 1946. stranger, these trees, these people travel at the last minute due to health At that time Isabella McNair was and this atmosphere are all intimate. reasons. Her son, Ranjit Batra came the principal of Kinnaird, says Ms. Lahore is great memories; I was born anyway, unwilling to miss a chance to and bred here, got married here, and visit Lahore, as well as Karachi, Mobegan my family here. Its unfortuhenjodaro and nate that I had to Larkana. leave the place As the presthat I so much ident of OAKs loved. India she has Her daughter been many times who is visiting Laon earlier occahore for the first sions, said her time feels lucky to son. Our last see her mothers visit was in 2007 college and hear the when we visited wonderful experiher home town, ences that OAKs are Abbottabad and sharing. I tell my the Galiat as well. v Considered to Krishna Gupta walks into the Green daughter how as a be a premier instiGates of Kinnaird: she left in 1947 young girl, Kinnaird gave me opportunitution it is cerv ties to explore mytainly one of the oldest pre-partition Mohini Dhody: the class of 1946 womens institutions in the region Kinnaird College for Women was founded by British missionaries in 1913 near Kinnaird School at Empress Road, Lahore. The college initially had an Intermediate programme, later expanded to include a Bachelors degree in 1917. As the number of students grew, the college moved to its current premises on Jail Road in 1926. Today some 3,300 students are enrolled in under-graduate, graduate and post-graduate programmes at Kinnaird. This weekend, the Green Gates were thrown open to welcome pre-partition OAKs like Mohini Dhody. Born in Lahore, she lived in Model Town, and attended Queen Marys Filling the atmosphere with warmth: Indian and Pakistani OAKs. Photos by Kaleem Zaid

to leave suddenly and my dream of graduating from Kinnaird was shattered, she says sadly. But whenever I come back I am welcomed more heartily. I was eager to be part of Kinnairds Centennial. She later graduated from Punjab University in India and went abroad for her Masters. She has worked as an educationist all her life and continues to be active in The sporty KC-ites of British India her field. Like the others, she has fond memories of her time spent in Lahore. The bonds I made in those early days of my life will always be special, and even today Im making new friends in Pakistan, she says. The Centennial is just a reason that self. Besides academics I participated has brought the women from both in many extracurricular activities. I sides of the border together. While played lots of tennis and also played some had shopping plans in Lahore, for Northern India at the national others want to visit the historical sites. level. It was and will always remain Kamini Mathore, however, has a more than just a college for me, she different to-do list: Our ancestral says. house is in Model Town and we used Sharing her thoughts on poet to live in Mayo Gardens. I plan to visit and lyricist Gulzars abrupt return my home. Ghar kay agay park tha, from Lahore, she adds, I can totally empathise with him, I have visbass itna he yaad hai, Im not sure if ited the city several times, and it is it would be the same. still always a very nostalgic journey She does not remember the exact for me, imagine what a seventy year house address. But if someone in gap would be like. Railways could dig out the G. S. Krishna Gupta, at 84 years old the Khanna residence, I might be able to youngest Platinum OAK in India, enfind it. I believe that 1947 was a great rolled in Kinnaird in 1944. Like many tragedy. What are we divided for? other young classmates she had also Wohi sarsoo kay khait hai, wohi dreamt of graduating from the prestigaiho lagay huay hai... gious Kinnaird but this was not to be. However, amidst all the positive I was in the third year of Bachevibes the OAKs also shared their fears lors when Partition took place. We had of losing the representation of Indian old students in the coming years. Since most of the Indian OAKS are now quite elderly, the OAKs and the Kinnaird College officials should start a special scholarship programs between colleges so that this tie is strengthened for the next generations too, proposed Kamini Mathore. Some Indian and Pakistani students have managed to avail of opportunities to study at institutions across the border, but they are few and far between. It is time the governments allowed more regular student exchanges in order to increase understanding and dialogue between both countries. The writer is a journalist based in Lahore and an OAK

My Indian family of friends

My first visit to India in 2006 was an eye opening experience. Having grown up in Pakistan and read history books, all sorts of questions popped in my mind until the day I visited the land of my ancestors. That day I said to myself, These Indians dont seem as bad as I had thought. Suddenly, I had answers to the questions that had been nagging me for so long. I understood how political animosity had sidelined our common social facets. All those things that brought us closer together pushed aside, replaced by a gratuitous mess. Tanks, guns and bombs overshadowed the music, films and cricket we enjoy. We can bring this back by Romancing the Border. As a homesick student in London, the first empathy and motivating words that made me cheer up came from my Indian friends, whom I met randomly on a bench on campus. It seemed like I had known them for a long time. In no time we all sat there talking and laughing like childhood buddies. This experience left thoughtprovoking ideas in my mind. There was something that made us get along together. I realised that it was because we shared the same way of thinking and warmth for each other. It seemed like I had found a family of friends in London. Its awesome to be around with them relating to each other, cheering over India-Pakistan cricket, fancying Bollywood actors, chanting to Pakistani music. I believe in Romancing the Border because it is us who can make the difference. Our political leaders might not want to reduce these tensions anytime soon but I believe that the people living in these countries can achieve this difficult task with more ease and less time through more social and cultural interaction. Lets give peace a chance and let the dove of peace fly free in our par t of the world. Rahema Hasan, Lahore, Pakistan

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Book launch: Sarabjit Singh

National Youth Summit urges peace building

International Youth Peace Fest, Chandigarh

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B R I E F S

akistani lawyer Awais Sheikhs book Sarabjit Singh: A case of mistaken identity was released at Delhi at a ceremony presided over by Justice Markandey Katju. Similar functions were held at Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, Noida and Chandigarh, participated in by Awais Sheikh. On his return to Pakistan, Sheikh has presented a copy of the book to Sarabjit (also known as Sarabjeet) Singh, who has been languishing in prison in Pakistan since 1990. Singh also signed a joint appeal addressed to the people of Pakistan and the President Asif Ali Zardari. The appeal will be read out at a book release function to be held on Friday, March 1st, 2013 at the Press Club, Lahore.

he recently concluded National Youth Summit in Muzaffarabad demanded that the government announce a youth emergency in Pakistan to ensure employment and education to all Pakistanis. Some 200 young people from all over the country attended the summit, from Feb 14- 17, 2013. The resolution urged the government to enhance engagement of the young people for peace building and promote efforts for peace.

NYS participants at a workshop on creativity

handigarh-based non-profit organization Yuvsatta (Youth for Peace ) is organising its eighth annual International Youth Peace Fest (IYPF 2013) from September 27, World Tourism Day, to October 2, 2013, International Day of Nonviolence. The festival, which began in 2006 with the participation of a hundred young people from India and Pakistan, has grown to 1000 participants from 25 countries. This year, young leaders from over 50 countries are expected to participate in the festival, which provides a platform for cross-fertilization of ideas through interaction during a powerful week of activities, speakers, and cultural evenings. We welcome ideas and hope to spread the message of uniting young people beyond man-made barriers to inspire change, says Pramod Sharma, Coordinator, Yuvsatta, hoping that participants from Pakistan will also be able to attend.

A prayer for a paradise on earth

By
ecause of its natural beauty, Kashmir is known as a paradise on the earth. But with the advent of 2013, India and Abdulaziz Khan Pakistan started combat on the Line of Control (LOC) that divides Kashmir. Both sides suffered the loss of valuable lives. Panic was created when the Indian administration warned Kashmiri residents to build safety bunkers in case nuclear weapons are used later apparently played down as a disaster management exercise. Aman ki Asha posted peace messages from all corners of the globe. My prime concern was to save myself and my Kashmir from any annihilation caused by nuclear weapons exchanged across the border. Although this is not envisaged as a probability, my legs start trembling whenever I think of my beautiful body, found charred under the contaminated debris of my safety bunker. Never mind of bunkers in the Kashmiri

paradise, the whole of the subcontinent would be turned topsy-turvy with one go. One cannot forget Mahatama Gandhis non-violence movement that rid India of British rule without a shot of a gun. Gandhi ji preached peace, austerity and mutual cohesion among peoples of the Subcontinent who are now, unfortunately, at the brink of disaster, especially if one considers use of nuclear weapons. It also may not be out of place to mention here that once Mr. Gandhi said: I have studied a book: biography of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and after that I have never felt any need to read another book. It is quite obvious that he had found whatever he needed for study for liberation and governance of Hindustan, specifically the principles of dealing with the people, irrespective of caste and creed. In an address, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah said: I assure you that Pakistan means to stand by its oft-repeated promises of according treatment to all its nationals irrespective of their caste and creed. Pakistan which symbolizes the aspirations of

a nation that found itself in a minority in the Indian Subcontinent, cannot be unmindful of the minorities without its own borders. We must honour the objectives of our leaders who founded our nations India and Pakistan. Aman ki Asha is exploring the means that could guarantee peace and prosperity. It has the mandate of the peoples of both the nations who appreciate its ideals. These ideas are subverted by conflicts at Kashmir borders that disrupt trade and travel, and the outdated business of underground bunkers come to fore. Instead of preet and shanti, nuclear war scare is drummed up. I, however, try to comfort myself with the poetry of Dr. Muhammad Iqbal: Ata hai yad mujko wo guzra hua zamana Wo jarian chaman ki wo mara ashyana I pray for the failure of warmongers and for the long life of Kashmir so that I may continue to enjoy the beauties of this Paradise on Earth. The writer is a retired engineer living in Islamabad A beautiful view of Titwal, Kashmir A peace initiative whose time has come... Destination Peace: A commitment by the Jang Group, Geo and The Times of India Group to create an enabling environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together, contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between our countries.

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