Pak artists to perform in Hyd, Delhi for peace and harmony

In a bid to promote peace and harmony, a 16-member group of dance performers and artists from Pakistan will perform in Hyderabad and New Delhi as part of 'India Pakistan Culture Connect: Joint Celebrations for Union of Hearts' from tomorrow to February 19.

The programme will showcase Kathak, Bharatnatyam and Odissi dances and Pakistani poetry by Karachi-based Tehrik-e-Niswan (Movement for Women).

It will also have plays with social themes, panel discussions on issues of concern and for promotion of better relations between the two countries, representatives of different organisations told reporters here today.

The aim of the programme is to facilitate people to people contact between different sections of society in India and Pakistan to promote mutual understanding, develop spirit of cooperation and generate mutual trust and secure an atmosphere to promote peace between the two countries, they said.

Students of schools, colleges and universities, members of civil society, professionals, business groups, journalists, policy makers and representatives of political parties will participate in over 25 panel discussions being planned in Hyderabad and New Delhi, reaching out to around 8,000 people through cultural performances and panel discussions, they said.

Classical dancer and social activist Sheema Kermani and senior theatre practitioner Anwer Jafri stressed on the need for starting 'visa on arrival' system by both Pakistan and India, saying artists among others were facing lot of difficulties in getting visas to tour respective countries.

"Lot of organisations from both countries have been campaigning in this regard," they said.

Stating that they had also staged plays against the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, Kermani said, "I have lived my life with threats."

"We have performed against fundamentalism and issues like blasphemy openly...The majority of Pakistanis are not fundamentalists and want to live peacefully...It is only a section with arms and ammunition issuing threats. The same goes for India also," Jafri, Kermani and others said.

"We will continue our work...we are for anti-war and want peaceful co-existence between both the countries," they added.