Pakistan India Peoples’ Forum for Peace and Democracy (PIPFPD) Saturday welcomed the concerns expressed by the people of Pakistan for the people of India as they struggle to overcome the dire impact of the present surge of the Covid 19 contagion which “recognises no borders or nationalities”.
It appreciated the offer extended by Edhi Foundation, a Karachi-based humanitarian organisation for their support in offering healthcare assistance to the people of India in this massive health care crisis.
PIPFPD urged the governments to build on this opportunity, to respond to this recognition of the mutuality of humanity, our entwined present and future to build peace and cooperation within our region.
“We demand that the government give substance to Covid diplomacy in the neighbourhood and facilitate cross border health missions in true spirit”, the PIPFPD statement said.
In a letter to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 23, Managing Trustee Faisal Edhi offered to lead a health mission to India comprising 50 medically equipped ambulances and technical staff. He requested permission to enter India and offered to collaborate with assigned local administrative authorities.
The statement added according to professionals associated with health care in PIPFPD, this significant token gesture of cross-border people-to-people humanitarian support should be made pragmatically compelling if self-select healthcare establishments bordering Punjab or Rajasthan would come forward to partner with the Edhi Foundation Mission.
People of Pakistan (and India), the PIPEPD said, are showing the way forward based on the mutuality of our fate and of our lives, of the value and imperative of working together, and building peace if we are to survive and thrive.
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan also tweeted a message of solidarity with those in “our neighbourhood (India) battling the dangerous Covid wave” and emphasised the need to confront, “this global challenge confronting humanity together.”
The statement was signed by Dr Syeda Hameed, Tapan Bose and Vijayan MJ on behalf of PIPFPD.
