World Cup brings Mohali to peace centrestage

CHANDIGARH: It is not just the Indian government which is reaching out to Pakistan by inviting Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari for the Cricket World Cup semi-final match between India and Pakistan at Mohali.

Peaceniks in Punjab and across the Wagah see an opportunity in Wednesday's semifinal at Mohali to promote friendship.

They have got 10,000 flags printed with each one carrying symbols of both India and Pakistan. Around 20,000 stickers projecting a heart with one valve Indian and another Pakistani have also been printed for distribution to spectators.

Around 40 Pakistani peaceniks are bringing Pakistani flags to be sewed with Indian flags. They are reaching Chandigarh shortly, one of the Indian promoters of peace Pramod Sharma told TOI. Sharma is associated with a Gandhian NGO, Yuvsatta.

Punjab's additional advocate general Reeta Kohli, who is supporting the cause, said, Yuvsatta will be hosting all 40 people during the match and would distribute these flags and stickers to spectators.

These 40 Pakistanis applied for visas on Friday only and special arrangements are being made to get them clearances. Girl students of Dev Samaj Educational Society are preparing placards carrying messages like, Koi bhi jeete koi bhi hare, jeet hamari hai (whoever wins or loses, we win); Ladenge ham zaroor lekin garibi, bhookh aur ashiksha se (We shall certainly fight but with poverty, hunger and illiteracy).

The peace effort is being supported by Confederation of Voluntary Agencies (COVA) led by Hyderabad-based Mazhar Hussein, who has reached Delhi only recently from Lahore.

"While international community will see the match from the angle of a bloody history of wars, we will make them see the new religion of cricket in South Asia that will promote peace, friendship, mutually respectful co-existence to deal with common enemies of poverty, hunger and illiteracy," said Sharma.