Peace candles on border

LAHORE: Representatives of Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Bahai communities gathered at Ganda Singh, Kasur (55 km south of Lahore) on Tuesday to light a peace candle and plant a tree symbolising between India and Pakistan, a news release said on Wednesday.

The gathering was organised by the National Commission for Inter-religious Dialogue and Ecumenism (NCIDE) headed by its executive secretary Fr Francis Nadeem.

According to the organisers, the Muslim delegation included Maulana Muhammad Abdul Kabeer Azad, (Badshahi Masjid’s Khateeb), Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal’s Maulana Aqeelur Rehman, advocate Malik Aziz Ahmed, Maulana Abdul Mustafa Chishti, Allama Rajviullah Khan Hazarvi, Maulana Hussain Ahmed Awan (Jamiat Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan) and Syed Waqarul Hussain Naqvi from the Shia community.

The Christian delegation included Fr Francis Nadeem, Fr Inayat Bernard, NCIDE Programme Officer Fr John Joseph Pervez Mohabbat and Brother Khalid Mir.

Gulab Sing represented the Sikh community while Muhammad Riaz Shahid represented the Bahai community in Pakistan.

The inaugural prayer was led by Kasur Parish Priest Fr Inayat Bernard who said the present SAARC summit in Islamabad had been a good initiative as it resulted in a thaw in Indo-Pak relations. Prayers were also offered for leaders and people of both countries.

Fr Francis said Pakistanis wanted peace in the region and wished to have the balance of power so that the people of both countries might be able to lead prosperous lives.

Maulana Abdul Kabeer Azad said, “Islam is a peace loving religion and the Muslim community of Pakistan wishes to support the peace process of the present government and the good intentions of the people.” Pigeons were also released on the occasion. At the end, Brother Khalid read out St Francis of Assisi’s special prayer, which was also distributed among the delegates. —Staff Report

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