This they said depended on the end of all kinds of violence whether it was perpetrated by state agencies or non-state elements.
The participants -- students, traders, labourers, human rights activists, lawyers, and academics -- gathered outside the National Press Club in Islamabad and marched up to the Parliament House to express solidarity with the victims of terrorism and violence, including suicide attacks, bomb blasts, target killings, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, and torture killings.
The rally was part of the countrywide peace rallies organised by the Aman Ittehad, simultaneously in 108 locations including Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Abbottabad, Gujranwala, Swat, Gwadar, Jacobabad, Kohistan, Jhang, Dera Ismail Khan, Mithi, Multan, Larkana, Gilgit, Chitral, Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the rally Ali Asghar Khan — an organiser and the chairperson of Omar Asghar Khan Development Foundation (OAKD) — said, “Peace in Pakistan is possible if the state gives primacy to the welfare of its citizens.”
He added the rallies in every part of the country are an expression of the determination of citizens to bring a change that would ameliorate their lot.
“Through Aman Ittehad a new leadership is emerging that is demanding stronger democratic institutions, fair accountability, equal opportunities, and justice for all citizens,” said Khan.
The Secretary General of the All Pakistan Federation of Labour, Zahoor Awan, demanded that the state must secure livelihood and ensure a life of dignity for everyone without any discrimination on the basis of class, religion or gender.
In her address, Rashida Dohad (co-founder of OAKD) said that citizens must be united and demand fundamental reforms needed to make peace possible in Pakistan.
Rights activist and chief operating officer of Aurat Foundation, Naeem Mirza, speaking on the occasion demanded strict action against state and non-state actors that take the law in their own hands and propagate or encourage militancy and extremism by their words or actions.
“We must not let anyone mislead us in the name of religion or ideology,” he said.
At the conclusion of the rally famous artist Arieb Azhar performed the song ‘Fikr-e-Insan’ produced on this occasion. He also sang his hit number ‘Husn-i-Haqqiqi’.
Aman Ittehad is a citizen’s platform striving for peace, democracy and justice in Pakistan. It calls for changing Pakistan from a security to a welfare state.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 2nd, 2011.
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