The Tribune - April 10, 2005
'INDIA, PAK MUST END HOSTILITY'
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, April 9
Human rights activist and journalist Praful Bidwai said here today
that India and Pakistan needed to sit together and seriously discuss
the issue of demilitarisation for ending hostility.
Speaking at a seminar on 'Prospects of peace and security in South
Asia' in the context of arrival of India and Pakistan peace march
that reached here yesterday on its way from Delhi to Multan, at the
Ramgarhia College for Women here today, Mr Bidwai said, "India and
Pakistan stand at a historic crossroad, but they can end 58 years of
hostility and war and live peacefully by allowing free movement of
people".
He said, for this, it was not enough that there was improvement in
state-to-state relation and people-to-people contact or even discuss
Kashmir. "They must put the issue of demilitarisation and reduction
of forces and work towards nuclear disarmament", he asserted.
He said India had doubled its military spending since 1998 and
Pakistan has followed the same. Today India's defence budget stands
at Rs 1 lakh crore ($ 23 billion), including establishment cost and
pensions. Pakistan's declared military budget last year was Rs 200
billion ($ 4.5 billion). In reality, it probably was $6.8 billion
and is expected to rise by 25 per cent plus. Both countries spent
more on military than on health or education. Both have their foot
pressed on a nuclear accelerator. Unless this change is brought
about there can be no durable and sustainable peace between them,"
he said.
Dr Sandeep Pandey, who is leading the padyatra, said during the
march till date, we have met scores of people and exchanged ideas of
peace and brotherhood with them in person. People of both the
countries are longing for peace. This desire of the people has to be
developed into a strong movement so as to force the governments take
further effective measures, particularly for the nuclear disarmament
of the region."
Dr L.S. Chawla, president of the Indian Doctors for Peace and
Development (IDPD), said no country could benefit from nuclear
weapons.
Other dignitaries present on the occasion included Mr Dewan Jagdish
Chander, Mr Ranjodh Singh, Dr Balbir Shah, Dr R.P.S. Aulukh, Mr
Tejinder Mohi, Dr Daler Singh, Dr Gurpreet Ratan, Mr D.P. Maur, Ms
Gurcharan Kochar, Mr Vijay Kumar, Mr Amrit Pal, Mr Sohan Singh, Mr
Kuldeep Binder, Mr Ramadhar Singh.
Earlier, in the day, the march went to Punjab Agricultural
University after passing through main bazaars of the city. A welcome
function was organised by the PAU employees union and the PAU
Students Association (PAUSA) in which over 300 persons participated.
This was addressed by Mr Praful Bidwal, Dr Sandeep Pandey, Dr L.S.
Chawla, Dr R.P.S. Aulakh, Mr D.P. Maur, Mr Sarwan Singh, president,
PAUSA Ms Gurcharan Kochar, Mr Tejinder Singh Mohi, Ms Kusum Lata, Dr
Gulzar Pandher. Large number of schoolchildren also participated in
the function.
A play on Indo-Pak relations, directed by Prof Sompal of Doraha, was
also staged
