‘Relax border controls between India and Pakistan’

President Safma was speaking at a seminar titled Pakistan in South Asian Context organised by Safma.

LAHORE: “The mindset in Pakistan and India will have to change and that can be done by enhancing investment and trade between the two countries”, said Vinod Sharma, the president of the South Asia Free Media Association (Safma) on Friday.

He was speaking at a seminar titled Pakistan in South Asian Context organised by Safma. He urged the two countries to implement the policies that they agreed upon in the South Asian Free Trade Area agreement (Safta). He also said that the peace process in both countries is being hindered by “ultra-nationalists” who often ended up using “abusive language in the face of arguments.”

“First we need to decide whether we want a secular, democratic Pakistan or an extremist Pakistan”, said Dr Mubarik Ali, the historian, who was also speaking at the seminar. He added that Pakistan had illogically defined itself as the antithesis to India.

Dr Ejaz Nabi, dean of the Lahore University of Management Sciences said that Pakistan should start thinking differently about its relationship with India and relax the border trade restrictions.

Speaking at the seminar, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan secretary general IA Rehman said that democracy is strengthened by political and social capital, but Pakistan lacks both. He too emphasised the need for strong economic ties between the two nations.

Focusing on the western border of Pakistan, Safma secretary general Imtiaz Alam said “Pakistan shouldn’t make Afghanistan its fifth province”. He urged India to stop covert operations in Afghanistan and instead help the flood victims in Pakistan.

Khalid Ahmed, who was moderating the seminar, concluded it by saying that for more than 50 years the two countries have been focusing on national security. “It is high time”, he added, “that we focus on economic cooperation and progress”

He also informed the gathering that the vigil that was to be held on August 14 and 15 at the border, would now be held at Safma offices due to security reasons.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 14^th, 2010.