SAFMA calls for ceasefire at LoC
Lahore, Pakistan: The South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), a recognized media body of SAARC, appealed to the governments of Pakistan and India to silence guns on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and international border and strictly observe the ceasefire agreement signed in 2003.
The media persons’ body with representation from SAARC member states expressed serious concern over the escalation of violence on the international border/working boundary and LoC. It took exception to the role of media in both countries in fanning jingoism while forgetting that only people suffer on both sides due to the ongoing border conflict.
The joint statement of SAFMA India and Pakistan was issued at a seminar in Lahore where various speakers endorsed the resolution calling for ceasefire and resumption of dialogue as the only alternative for the two countries.
SAFMA resolution urged the media to recognize that “bullets can’t bring peace”. It called upon both countries to refrain from further aggression while lamenting the loss of innocent lives, destruction of property and displacement of people living on both sides of the border in the deteriorating security environment.
While celebrating the award of Nobel Peace prize shared by Malala Yousufzai and Kailash Satyarthi, SAFMA appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to aim for Nobel Peace prize during their respective tenures by showing greater political will and statesmanship to peacefully resolve differences and set India and Pakistan on the road of a shared destiny of peace and cross-border cooperation.
Those who spoke at the seminar included Imtiaz alam, Arif Nizami, I. A. Rehman, Gul Bukhari, Hussain Naqi and Khalid Chaudhary.
