Pakistan-India Peoples Forum for Peace and Democracy 
(Karnataka Chapter)

Context

The PIPFPD was formed in New Delhi in March 1994, on the initiative of representatives of people’s movements, mass organisations and committed individuals to promote a dialogue between the people of Indian and Pakistan, to build a movement for peace and democracy in 
the subcontinent. The General Secretariat is located in Delhi and state secretariats in Karnataka, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Since 1996, the state secretariat of Karnataka is housed in CIEDS with Altaf Ahmed, one of the collective members as the Secretary. 

While the long term impact is obviously to see permanent peace between the two countries, the short term impact would be seen in terms of :

- diffusing the bigoted nationalism being promoted by the right wing forces

- questioning and dispelling some of the popular myths that are propagated inorder to fuel bias and prejudices against the enemy outside and within i.e. Pakistanis and Muslims respectively

- a more positive media coverage of the relationship between the two countries that does not reinforce the jingoistic nationalism of the nation states

- increasing pressure from all sections of the society upon the State to move towards a lasting peace

Six very successful Pakistan - India People’s Convention on Peace and Democracy have been held in both the countries, one of which was held in Bangalore in 2000 in which we took a considerable initiative to coordinate along with the other state members.

All the Conventions have reinforced the need for the people of both the countries to come together on issues of common concern that include:

- Globalisation that undermines the political and economic independence of countries; directs violence against societies with different political and social ideals, particularly muslim people and terrorises entire countries in the name of fighting terrorism.

- To emphasise on the need for an alliance and friendship between the women from both countries

- Demilitarisation of the subcontinent

- To encourage free movement of people across the border from both countries to visit each other for religious, cultural, supports and social purposes

- Encouraging media, cultural and educational ties between the countries

- Finding a solution to the problem of Kashmir

Apart from playing a central coordinating role, particularly within the state to help in the planning and execution of these projected programmes as the Secretariat, our responsibilities revolve around:

a. Increasing the membership of the state chapter through organising meetings and public programmes in the different districts apart from the city of Bangalore.

b. Organising the public programmes, events and workshops planned above in coordination with the General Secretariat in Delhi.

c. Facilitating the participation of the State members in the larger national and joint conventions of PIPFPD.

d. Sensitising the media to the need to do more positive coverage on not only the activities of the Forum, but also on the issues it seeks to focus on.

e. Taking active participation in the fund raising activities to support the activities of the Forum.

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