As many as 155 Indians and Pakistanis have moved a resolution for peaceful relations between the two countries and sought for continuous and uninterrupted talks. The signatories said that there had been too many conflicts and a huge number of loss of lives in the 70 years since partition of the countries.
“Those who suffer particularly are ordinary people denied visas and those in the conflict zones, especially women and children as well as fishermen who get routinely rounded up and arrested for violating the maritime boundary,” the resolution, dated May 6, read.
The resolution, which was signed by several prominent people, included many journalists, former chief of Indian Naval staff, Admiral Laxminarayan Ramdas, writer and activist John Dayal, filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt among others.
Expressing concern over the recent rise in animosity between India and Pakistan, the members urged the governments to take all steps possible to improve relations. “The traditional response to such disruptions only strengthen those who want continued tensions between our two countries,” it said.
The resolution asked for the 2003 ceasefire agreement between the two countries to be implemented and to give up state-sponsored terrorism, human rights violations and cross-border terrorism. “Support and encourage all forms of people to people contact, and remove visa restrictions and discrimination faced by citizens of both countries,” it added.
The resolution also urged the media to uphold impartial reporting and stop the growing militarisation of debates. “We must act responsibly and stop broadcasting hate speech and creating public hysteria aimed at the other country and/or vulnerable communities,” the resolution read.
Kashmir has been on the boil since July 2016. Scores of people have been killed and thousands injured in protests and clashes after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was gunned down by security forces. Violence again erupted last month during the Assembly bye-elections in Srinagar. The Indian Army has faced severe criticism for injuring hundreds of people with the “non-lethal” pump action gun during protests in July last year.
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