Open borders, Kartarpur Corridor for people to people contact: Hind Pak Dosti Manch

As hostilities continue between India and Pakistan post Pak army general Asif Munir’s statement in the US, the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, an Amritsar-based cultural and literary organisation, on Thursday urged the governments of both countries to initiate a dialogue to improve bilateral relations.

“Opening of the borders for people to people contact must be prioritised if peace is to be maintained. Both countries should generously grant visas to organisations, artists, journalists and intellectuals working for peace and friendship between India and Pakistan to cross the borders so that they can contribute to creating an atmosphere for peace and tranquillity,” said Syeda Hameed, human rights activist and president of the Hind Pak Dosti Manch.

Agreeing to this, Satnam Singh Manak, a veteran journalist and activist, also suggested the opening of the significant Kartarpur Corridor that acted as link between people of both the countries. On recent remarks of veiled nuclear threats by Pak army general Asif Munir, Manak said, “The ruling and non-ruling leaders and the military generals of both countries should refrain from making provocative statements and pushing the region towards another protracted war. We have seen how it affects common citizens during the four-day military action.”

The group also suggested that two ‘Peace Parks’ should be built on the Attari-Wagah and India-Bangladesh borders, respectively, in memory of the one million people, who died during the partition of the country.

This year’s pre-Independence Day event were dedicated to promoting peace initiatives. The event also paid tribute to the 26 tourists who were killed by terrorists in Pahalgam on April 22.

The Amritsar-based organisation, Hind-Pak Dosti Manch, in collaboration with organisations like the Folklore Research Academy, SAFMA, and Punjab Jagriti Manch, orchestrates a symbolic candlelight march and vigil at the Attari-Wagah joint check-post every year on the night of August 14 and 15. This event commemorates both Pakistan’s Independence Day (August 14) and India’s (August 15), serving as a poignant appeal for peace and people-to-people harmony. Initiated nearly three decades ago by veteran journalist Kuldeep Nayyar, this vigil has grown from a small gathering into a sustained peace movement.