The Pakistan India & UK Friendship Forum was launched on the 8th of February at the House of Commons by the British Parliamentarians. The Forum believes that people to people contact is the way forward.
The founding patrons are leaders in their field and represent advancement of progress in the community:
- The Rt. Hon. Keith Vaz MP
- The Rt. Hon James Arbuthnot MP
- Mr Dominic Grieve MP
- Mr Tony McNulty MP
- Mr Stephen Pound MP
- Lord Dholakia OBE
- Lord Karan Bilimoria CBE
- Baroness Sandip Verma
- Baroness Shreela Flather JP
- Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP
- Sir Gulam Noon MBE
- Sir Mohammed Anwar Pervez OBE
- Mr Tarique Ghaffur CBE
- Judge Mota Singh
- Prof Nat Puri
- Dr Avtar Lit
- Mr Moni Verma
- Mr Fakhruddin Suterwalla
- Mr Hardyal S Luther
- Mr J S Sachar
- Mr T D Wohoura MBE
- Mr Ranbir S Suri JP
In ever increasing world globalization, events taking place thousands of miles away create a ripple effect felt throughout the world, but considerably so in Britain where British Asian communities live in large numbers. Therefore, it is imperative for all the communities to work hard for the success of Britain regardless of their ethnic origin, colour or religion if we are to enjoy community cohesion.
The Forum represents a reflection and the feelings of a growing number of people from both India and Pakistan. There is a great deal more in common between the two communities who always lived together for centuries before 1947 when they became independent from Britain. Unfortunately for 60 years they have not enjoyed cordial relations with each other. The aim of the Forum is to bring about direct contact between the people in order to promote friendship and harmony between these two large British communities who are settled here in considerable numbers. If these two communities start to cooperate with each other, their relationship will be felt in every walk of British life. They will also leave a legacy for the next generation which they will be rightly proud of.
The Forum believes that their countries face three issues. Two are easy and the third difficult. The easy issues are trade and tourism, the difficult one is the issue surrounding Kashmir. If their respective governments can deal with the easy matters first, then the difficult question of Kashmir will automatically become easier to solve. The destinies of the two countries are interlinked with each other and one cannot progress without the other. When they start trading goods, they will stop trading bullets. The example of the EU is before them to follow for the good of their people.
When prosperity reigns and the peace dividend descends on these two countries, they will not have to keep large armies which are a drain on their resources. There will also not be a battleground for super powers that always divide and rule. Thirdly with prosperity in both countries, the people of Kashmir will undoubtedly enjoy better living standards, security and peace.
When Pakistan and India catch a cold, their communities in Britain sneeze. This organization is neither political nor religious but is based is on social and cultural commonalities and aims to celebrate what unites them. People to people contact always helps eliminate suspicions and misapprehensions that may exist between the two communities.
The Forum will celebrate a joint Independence Day every year during August at a top London venue so that people from both the countries can look ahead and celebrate each others nationhood. The Forum will also invite prominent citizens from both countries to demonstrate that they have common culture and heritage which the citizens of both nations can enjoy like their own in perfect harmony.
