LAHORE, Aug 13: Speakers at a seminar on Tuesday made a passionate appeal to Pakistan and India to avoid conflict as it would not benefit either them or their people already facing a lot of problems.

The seminar was organised by South Asian Free Media Association (Safma) at a local hotel and the speakers also included Indian journalists who condemned jingoism by their media, saying it was unnecessarily destroying peace in the region.

A resolution adopted at the seminar urged both countries to maintain peace at the Line of Control (LoC), prevent any sort of intervention or conflict and continue with composite dialogue.

It urged prime ministers of both countries to meet in New York next month, asking media to avoid jingoism and fanning the current tension. The resolution welcomed the Indian guests. It also paid tributes to those who had laid down their lives for the independence of both countries and demanded a peace park at the Wagah-Attari border.

Noted journalist and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Secretary-General I A Rehman regretted the repeated breakdown of peace process between India and Pakistan. Both the countries must mend their ways, he said.

He regretted both countries were celebrating their independence on August 14 and 15 but the question was as to how they had used their freedoms, as 40 per cent of their peoples were living below poverty line. The countries that had got freedom after India and Pakistan had progressed much more, giving respect and prosperity to their peoples. He said both countries recently talked of easing visa regime but it had become more difficult than ever.

Rehman said at present both countries required serious political thinking. Because of their short-sightedness they had been gripped by jingoism. And if this was not controlled, only jingoism would rule them.

Senior Indian journalist Chanchar Manohar Singh said he was happy to be able to bring a delegation of Indian journalists to Pakistan despite an air of acrimony in his country. Initially, 45 people wanted to come here but the number was reduced to just 12 because of the tension, he regretted, saying “you can imagine the deep impact of the killing of five Indian soldiers”.

He criticised Indian media for fanning jingoism against Pakistan and spreading hatred making one force to think had it owned the nuclear button it could have pushed it by now. “Your media too follow suit and start propaganda by ignoring national interest.”

He said there should be peace and friendship between the two countries as they had obtained nothing by castigating and attempting to harm each other.

“Around 30 per cent of our people are living below the poverty lines but we are buying weapons. We should think of our poor,” he added.

The visitor criticised Indian politicians and said the BJP whose prime minister had come to Pakistan for friendship was now talking of avenging the killing of five soldiers on television, building pressure on the Congress.

“We do not suspect your prime minister’s intentions for peace but we cannot ignore the murder of our soldiers,” he added.

Another Indian journalist Jasbit Singh Malhotra said after coming here he felt why it was important to visit Pakistan at this moment. The BJP was not ruling entire India “where we will take the message of peace”.

He said peoples of both countries desired friendship and they were not part of the jingoism. A strong and democratic Pakistan would benefit India. He condemned Indian media for creating tension and anti-human sentiments. Pakistanis had voted for Nawaz Sharif because he had talked of peace with India. Manmohan Singh too should do the same and Indians would support him, he said.

Malhotra further said Pakistan must channelise energies of its peoples towards peace and progress. Both Punjabs too had a responsibility towards peace.

Former diplomat Khalid Mehmood said Pakistan and India had been talking of resolution of the Kashmir dispute from 2003 to 2007. And they could again sit together for peace. Pakistan was committed to peace that could be ensured provided there was corresponding response from India.

Najam Sethi said Pakistan and India should avoid a conflict for gaining control in Afghanistan as this would first destroy the former then the latter. The fallout would be horrendous, he warned.

Dr Akmal Husain talked of peace between the two countries, saying war would destroy them. They were required to develop a friendship to collectively tackle the looming threat of global warming that could cause things like famine, he said.

Safma Secretary-General Imtiaz Alam said terrorists did not want peace between the two countries. The present crisis on the LoC too had been created by them and both the countries must be wary of their intentions.