DAWN – PEACE ACTIVISTS RAP CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS

Published: DAWN – January 28, 2013

LAHORE, Jan 27: A candlelit vigil was held in front of the Press Club here on Sunday to condemn recent violations of ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC) and condole the loss of lives on both sides.

People from different walks of life participated in the vigil held by the Institute for Peace and Secular Studies (IPSS), demanding both Pakistan and India should continue the dialogue and take forward the peace process.

Appreciating the governments of India and Pakistan for reiterating their commitment to continue the dialogue process, strengthen the mechanisms for resolving disputes on the LoC and minimising violations, they condemned any kind of mutilation of human bodies there. They sought said independent investigations into such incidents so that facts could be known.

They urged the media, politicians and other public figures to show restraint and not to create or add to a ‘war hype’ that had the potential to derail the peace process.

They also called on New Delhi and Islamabad to immediately resume the implementation of the new visa policy that was to begin on Jan 15 by allowing senior citizens visa-on-arrival facility at the Wagha-Attari border and take immediate steps to resume normal trade and travel across the LoC.

Dialogue between India and Pakistan must be uninterrupted and uninterruptible, they said and warned that any deviation from this process would only encourage extremist, hawkish and fanatical elements on both sides. — Staff Reporter.