Beyond business as usual
"The only way to peace," pronounced Vineet Jain, the young Managing Director of The Times of India Group, "is commerce". He was speaking at the inaugural session of Aman ki Asha's ground-breaking trade and investment meeting held in Delhi, May 18-19, 2010. Attended by some fifty high-powered Pakistani delegates and a strong contingent of high-powered Indian businessmen, entrepreneurs and CEOs that filled the conference hall, the event was a resounding success that surpassed all expectations, if we say so ourselves.
With the right kind of follow up, it could, as Shahrukh Hasan, Group Managing Director of the Jang Group put it, "be a the start of a new chapter in our history."
The presence and speeches of Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and Shahid Malik, Pakistan's suave High Commissioner in New Delhi gave a real boost to the meeting, taking it beyond the level that most had expected.
The heart-warming speeches and commitment of the other speakers, including Indian icons like Narayana Murthy, the godfather of India's blooming software industry, Dr Brij Mohan Lall Munjal, the 'king of the two-wheeler industry', and Dr Naresh Trehan of Medanta - The Medicity added to the optimism that permeated the entire conference.
"We must take trade to the front burner," said Mr Murthy. "We need Indian and Pakistani scientists to work together to fight common diseases like malaria etc."
"I come from Kamalia (now Faisalabad district)," Dr Munjal told participants. "I have helped my counterparts there whenever I could. When Pakistan's first bicycle was manufactured, I was there to see it roll out of the factory. I will always do what I can for any Pakistani."
"I have advised the government of India to unilaterally open trade for Pakistan," declared his son Sunil Munjal, MD Hero Cycles, and a top businessman in his own right. "India should remove all non-tariff barriers and allow Pakistani entrepreneurs and businessmen access to the vast Indian market. We can review the process after some months and see what harm or good it has done."
India has granted Pakistan most favoured nation (MFN) status - but without textiles, which form 60 % of Pakistan's expoerts. Pakistan uses this as a justification to deny India MFN status.
Dr Trehan talked about the possibility of an Indo-Pak medical society and the need to organise a large, bilateral conference on a high-end medical level that he plans to host within the next year.
There were so many other speakers, so much goodwill. We have reported most of what transpired in earlier pages (compiled at the Aman ki Asha website - www.amankiasha.com). We hope you enjoy this page of the conference and its sidelines in pictures. Here's to more such events.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
With the right kind of follow up, it could, as Shahrukh Hasan, Group Managing Director of the Jang Group put it, "be a the start of a new chapter in our history."
The presence and speeches of Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, and Shahid Malik, Pakistan's suave High Commissioner in New Delhi gave a real boost to the meeting, taking it beyond the level that most had expected.
The heart-warming speeches and commitment of the other speakers, including Indian icons like Narayana Murthy, the godfather of India's blooming software industry, Dr Brij Mohan Lall Munjal, the 'king of the two-wheeler industry', and Dr Naresh Trehan of Medanta - The Medicity added to the optimism that permeated the entire conference.
"We must take trade to the front burner," said Mr Murthy. "We need Indian and Pakistani scientists to work together to fight common diseases like malaria etc."
"I come from Kamalia (now Faisalabad district)," Dr Munjal told participants. "I have helped my counterparts there whenever I could. When Pakistan's first bicycle was manufactured, I was there to see it roll out of the factory. I will always do what I can for any Pakistani."
"I have advised the government of India to unilaterally open trade for Pakistan," declared his son Sunil Munjal, MD Hero Cycles, and a top businessman in his own right. "India should remove all non-tariff barriers and allow Pakistani entrepreneurs and businessmen access to the vast Indian market. We can review the process after some months and see what harm or good it has done."
India has granted Pakistan most favoured nation (MFN) status - but without textiles, which form 60 % of Pakistan's expoerts. Pakistan uses this as a justification to deny India MFN status.
Dr Trehan talked about the possibility of an Indo-Pak medical society and the need to organise a large, bilateral conference on a high-end medical level that he plans to host within the next year.
There were so many other speakers, so much goodwill. We have reported most of what transpired in earlier pages (compiled at the Aman ki Asha website - www.amankiasha.com). We hope you enjoy this page of the conference and its sidelines in pictures. Here's to more such events.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Beyond the rhetoric
By Sakuntala Narasimhan
A new map of the world has just been put out by the World Health Organisation and Unicef. One feels ashamed looking at the sub-continent en .....more
By Sakuntala NarasimhanA new map of the world has just been put out by the World Health Organisation and Unicef. One feels ashamed looking at the sub-continent en .....more
Aman Mein Mera Hissa
Students inscribe peace messages on handkerchiefs; Speakers declare Aman Ki Asha a roadmap to peace
Friday, May 14, 2010
By Arif Ghias
TOBA TEK SINGH .....more
Students inscribe peace messages on handkerchiefs; Speakers declare Aman Ki Asha a roadmap to peace Friday, May 14, 2010
By Arif Ghias
TOBA TEK SINGH .....more
A chain of love and peace from Kabul to Kolkata
Talking peace with Ustad Hamid Ali Khan, who believes that peace is not just absence of war but a
pro-active fostering and education of and for peace
By Dr. .....more
Talking peace with Ustad Hamid Ali Khan, who believes that peace is not just absence of war but a pro-active fostering and education of and for peace
By Dr. .....more
'No water means no life for me and my family'
Ghazanfar Ali, 61, is a farmer in Chak 95 SB in central Punjab's Sargodha Division.
His meagre 14 acres lie in the citrus belt that once was famously wilderness. I .....more
Ghazanfar Ali, 61, is a farmer in Chak 95 SB in central Punjab's Sargodha Division.His meagre 14 acres lie in the citrus belt that once was famously wilderness. I .....more
Boosting trade, promoting peace
India's High Commissioner on his recent visit to Karachi indicated that India will consider opening the ancientTharparkar-Munabao trade route, and that check posts at
.....more
India's High Commissioner on his recent visit to Karachi indicated that India will consider opening the ancientTharparkar-Munabao trade route, and that check posts at
.....more
Students to paint messages on handkerchiefs
By our correspondent
TOBA TEK SINGH: Hundreds of students, including boys and girls, will take part in a programme being held at Saint Peter's High School h .....more
By our correspondentTOBA TEK SINGH: Hundreds of students, including boys and girls, will take part in a programme being held at Saint Peter's High School h .....more
Page 155 of 175
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The News on Sunday Special Report: India Pakistan prisoners
We probably didn't need to do this Special Report. Newspaper stories don't matter when it comes to Indians in Pakistani jails and vice versa. In fact, 'vice versa' sums it up. We do to them what they do to us.
Except when the two countries decide to begin talking, yet again! This time a little before the foreign secretary level talks, some Pakistani prisoners were released by India (and vice versa must have happened) and some more were release....read more
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For the past 2 years the Jang Group and Geo have been working on a project of great national interest; one that we hope will help usher in an era of peace and prosperity in the country and indeed, in the region. And one that hopefully all Pakistanis can be proud of.
The Jang Group has entered into an agreement with the Times of India Group, the largest media group of India, to campaign for peace betw
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