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
Abida Parveen gets lifetime achievement award in India
The Begum Akhtar Academy of Ghazal, India, has given Sufi folk singing legend Abida Parveen a lifetime achievement award. The Academy is part of Kaladharmi, a non-profit
.....more
The Begum Akhtar Academy of Ghazal, India, has given Sufi folk singing legend Abida Parveen a lifetime achievement award. The Academy is part of Kaladharmi, a non-profit
.....more
Indian initiative lights up Pakistani village
High-level energy conference in Islamabad, Oct 12, benefit concert in Lahore by Euphoria and Junoon, Oct 13
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, has set u .....more
High-level energy conference in Islamabad, Oct 12, benefit concert in Lahore by Euphoria and Junoon, Oct 13The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), India, has set u .....more
The importance of 'Milne Do'
A young mother from Pakistan reflects on how her outlook changed after she visited India and interacted with ordinary people there.
By Gulalai Khan
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A young mother from Pakistan reflects on how her outlook changed after she visited India and interacted with ordinary people there.By Gulalai Khan
more
I am Devika from India
I believe in Romancing The India-Pakistan Border
"Hi, this is Devika Mittal from India. I believe that India and Pakistan share .....more
I believe in Romancing The India-Pakistan Border
A beautiful bond
"Hi, this is Devika Mittal from India. I believe that India and Pakistan share .....more
The iron curtain starts to melt
A glance at the history of the visa regime between India and Pakistan shows why the small
more
A glance at the history of the visa regime between India and Pakistan shows why the small
steps they recently agreed to take are cause for such celebration
more
Love for soil carries the day
By Nabeel .....more
A heartwarming story from Chakwal about the visit from India of the Sikhs whose family built a high school there over a hundred years ago
By Nabeel .....more
Page 28 of 177
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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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