Shah Mehmood Qureish, Member of the National Assembly from Multan, former minister with the PPP and the trustee of the Shrine of Sufi saint Bahauddin Zakaria, welcoming the Indian and Pakistani delegates of the peace march at a function in Multan said that the arms race must end, that the nuclearization of South Asia must be curtailed. If the Berlin Wall could crumble, surely the barriers between Indians and Pakistanis can end too, he argued.

In town after town, the peace delegates have been welcomed with music and with flowers. In Chinchawatani, the march was welcomed into the city by firecrackers and with music. Citizens had lined rooftops of the route and the delegates were showered with rose petals.

Similar scenes presented themselves in Sahiwal as well. A reception was organized by the Member of the Provincial Assembly, Rana Tariq Javed. The Senior Superintendent of Police, the Mayor of Sahiwal and the President of the District Bar were part of the welcoming committee. The marchers also visited the old city of Multan which is home to people who had emigrated from India during the partition. Joyous reception marked this visit as well.

It is significant that people’s representatives have welcomed the delegates through out Pakistan. In Lahore, the Mayor held a reception for the delegates. In Multan, the district administration organized a function. The delegates have been given permission to freely travel within Multan, visit any part of the city and hold meetings anywhere they please. The District Administration also presented the delegates with momentos.

In fact, people everywhere – in shops, on the streets – are presenting the delegates with gifts. Monica Wahi says she has received bangles, scarfs, earrings from people on the streets.

On 11th, at Multan, Mazhar Hussain – one of the peace marchers – officially launched the No! No! campaign demanding that both India and Pakistan reject the F-18s and F-16s offered to them respectively, for sale, by the USA. The peace marchers have won wide support that this money could be better spent in to countries that have almost half the world’s hungry and among the lowest levels of living indices.

Literally, thousands of people have thronged functions organized for the peace delegates. In Multan, the peace delegates offered a ‘chaddar’ brought from Delhi, at the shrine of Bahauddin Zakaria. Over a thousand people were present at the occasion. Another thousand people attended the South Asian Peace meeting organized by the citizens of Multan.

As Sandeep Pandey has written in his notes – the march has reached Multan, it has not ended. This march has been a huge boost to people’s efforts for peace. These efforts will now gain strength.

This was based on conversations with Saeeda Diep, Sandeep Pandey, Monica Wahi and Prof. Ramneek Mohan – peace marchers from Pakistan and India.

Related Links
Lahore Mayor Permits Peace March Through City
Peace Marchers Cross Border
The Bricks for Building Peace
Route of Peace March