CHANDIGARH: People of Chandigarh and Lahorehave prepared a joint appeal before the prime ministers of India and Pakistan engage in cricket diplomacy during Wednesday’s world cup cricket semi-final at Mohali, urging them to let people of the two countries explore peace, despite fringe elements on both sides of the divide planning otherwise.
“A declaration has been prepared stating that people in both countries want to explore peace through direct contacts in the absence of the respective establishments taking any definitive step towards this end,” a key figure behind the declaration, representing a Gandhian NGO Yuvsatta, Pramod Sharma, told TOI on Tuesday.
Yuvsatta and peaceniks from Pakistan will stand at the entrance of the match venue at the Mohali cricket stadium and get the declaration signed by spectators from both countries.
The appeal has been made through media to encourage the two prime ministers to be bold while pursuing the peace effort, Sharma said. The declaration signed by the spectators and the people from Pakistan and India will be sent through post to the two prime ministers.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is from Chandigarh, having a house here, while Gilani is from Labore, he said.
The efforts of the residents of the capitals of the two Punjabs to bring peace between the countries is important as normalization of relations between the two countries is going to bring direct economic, social and political dividends to the two states.
Lahore Nama 