Updated: HEADS UP! PEACE CARAVAN from Karachi to Peshawar

NEWEST UPDATE here at the top:
Peace Caravan urges unity against militancy
KhyberNews - Media Watch
PESHAWAR: Expressing solidarity with the people of NWFP, the Peace Caravan Tuesday urged them to get united to root out militancy, to expose its perpetrators and to make serious endeavours for strengthening other peace movements in the country.

The Peace Caravan, which started its journey from Karachi on February 13 via Khyber Mail, was joined by peace activists from other parts of the country arrived here on Monday. To extend their support to militancy-hit people of the province, the delegation met with victims’ families and visited various blasts’ sites including Peshawar Press Club and the tomb of the well-known Pashto poet Rahman Baba, which had also been bombed by unknown militants last year, on Tuesday.

Represented by members of various political parties, trade unions, intellectuals, civil societies, writers and peasants, the Peace Caravan, is consisting of about 90 peace activists including 20 females, from Karachi, Hyderabad, Shahdadpur, Khairpur, Sukker, Khanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Lahore, Jehlum and Rawalpindi.

Speaking to a gathering at Bacha Khan Markaz, the central headquarters of Awami National Party (ANP), labour leader Kiramat Ali said that the social structure of the country was based on injustice. People were denied of their just rights, which have increased the despair among common people.

He said if there was justice, there would be no militancy and demanded of the government to give due rights to all federating units, which he said would eliminate the sense of deprivation among various communities living in Pakistan.

“Today we are here to show solidarity with people of the province. Unity is needed as well as collective actions to expose those who are promoting militancy,” he said. He added that terrorism was not the issue of Pakistan alone; rather it was the problem of all South Asian countries.

Mutahidda Labour Federation’s President Mohammad Iqbal said that they should mobilize working class, civil societies and political parties against terrorism. He said there was no doubt that the perpetrators of terror activities were working on the agenda of countries who want to destabilize this region, adding that people should forge unity to get rid of this menace. Executive Director Sungi Foundation Samina Umar Asghar Khan condemned drone attacks on Pakistan’s soil and said it was against the sovereignty of the country.

Additional secretary general of ANP Hashim Babar highlighted the sacrifices rendered by the party activists and leaders for the cause of peace. He said the party had sacrificed more than 300 of its workers including members of provincial assembly. He said the ANP always believed in non-violence and was following the path of Bacha Khan. He said it was the policies of ANP that exposed the agenda of militants in Malakand, adding that the militants were not interested in Islam but just in power.
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UPDATE just below for Feb 15 from The News dot com dot pk/daily detail here

Note from oneheartforpeace blogger: If you have any related news on this Peace Caravan, Plz send to me by email: newlease7@yahoo.com. If contact info is needed, email me, Connie, newlease7@yahoo.com If organizers prefer their names and contact info on the postings directly or wish any other changes here, let me know. This is an exciting event organized by strong, determined PeaceMakers in Pakistan. They are most refreshing, positive and gracious people who have the courage to speak to all manner of terrorism, injustice and injury whether to military leaders of the US and/or to other desperate efforts of terrorism. They are sorely needed in our much wounded world. Well worth watching their lead and following their spirit in our own similar efforts within our own nations! Last but not least: see how they empower the powerless and bring comfort to those without hope!

PRESS RELEASE

“Peace Caravan” leaves Karachi for Peshawar by Khyber Mail Saturday night

Reception of the caravan at Lahore station also went well. More than 100 activists from SPO, BLLF, AAA, GIYAN, SAP, PILER and other trade union groups welcomed the caravan. In a unique and charged environment the participants raised slogans for peace and anti-terrorism. The caravan then left for Peshawar.

KARACHI: Feb. 14 — A delegation of Karachi’s civil society organizations “Peace Caravan” under the banner of Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) left the city from Cantt. railway station for Peshawar via Khyber Mail on Saturday night to express solidarity with the people and workers of terrorism-hit province of Pakhtunkhwa.

PPC is a network of civil society organizations struggling for peace and harmony in the country and South Asian region.

About 100 activists and representatives of various political parties, trade unions, peasants’ organizations and non-governmental organizations, intellectuals and poets are part of the Peace Caravan, who would also include the activists from other cities like Hyderabad, Shahdadpur, Khairpur, Sukkur, Khanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Lahore, Jehlum and Rawalpindi. A large number of female members are also part of the Caravan, which would reach Peshawar on Monday morning, where peace activists of Peshawar and other parts of Pakhtunkhwa province would join them.

It may be recalled that the civil society organizations had made the decision to organize a “Peace Caravan” from Karachi to Peshawar at a Consultation meeting at Karachi Press Club on November 13, 2009.

Present at Karachi Cantt. railway station to see off the Peace Caravan participants were Dr. Tipu Sultan, President of Karachi Chapter of PPC; Adam Malik, Karachi PPC General Secretary; Sharafat Ali of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Ms. Anoushe Alam of Pakistan Labour Trust; trade union leaders, journalists and family members of the participants.

Labour leaders Farid Awan; Mirza Maqsood Ahmed; Zeenat Hisam and Zulfiqar Shah of PILER; Ayoub Shan of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum; Ms. Rehana Yasmeen, General Secretary of Karachi Garment & Hosiery Workers Union; Sohail Raza General Secretary, Power looms General Workers Union; Manzoor Razi, Centeral Chairman of Railway Workers Union; Ms. Shakeela Asghar, poet Nadeem Sabtain and others are some of the prominent participants of the Carvan from Karachi.

Before embarking for the journey, the participants raised slogans against terrorists and for the peace in the country.

Following are the main objectives of the Peace Caravan:

• Express solidarity with people of Pakhtunkhwa province and Peshawar in particular

• Mobilize the working class, civil society and political parties against terrorism

• Build pressure on the government to fulfill its responsibility of maintenance law and order

• Raise voice against US-lead international war on terror and massacre by Taliban

• Create harmony among working people in their difficult times.


The participants of the Caravan were demanding:

* All the areas of Pakhtunkhwa province should be declared

* All the areas of Pakhtunkhwa province should be declared as “Calamity Hit”and the federal government should provide financial assistance to the people of Pakhtunkhwa. All the unemployed/out of work people of the province should be provided social protection and compensations.

* Financial assistance be provided to the people of affected areas of Swat, Malakand, Waziristan and other areas so that they can restart their normal life.

* The state should ensure to uproot the elements who are supporting Talibanization.

* Stringent measures should be taken against the elements who are spreading extremism and sectarian strife in the society.

* US intervention in Pakistani foreign policy and Drone attacks in Pakistani areas should be stopped forthwith.

* The government should prepare a comprehensive and effective programme for rehabilitation of the terrorism-hit families.

* Special measures be taken for protection and rehabilitation of terrorism affected women and children.

* US intervention and Drone attacks should be stopped forthwith.

* All the unnecessary defence expenditures should be stopped and the funds should be spent on providing social protection to the working people.

* The people should be provided all the essential services like education, health, clean drinking water, electricity, gas, employment and easy justice.

Representatives of the following organizations are part of the “Peace Caravan”:

Pakistan Peace Coalition, Muttahida Labour Federation, Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Peoples Workers Union KESC, Awami Party Pakistan, Hosiery Garments Textile Workers Union, Karachi, Child and Labour Rights Welfare Organization, Bhandar Hari Sangat Hyderabad, Sungi Foundation Islamabad, Anjuman-e-Aishia Awam Lahore, Labour Quomi Movement Faisalabad, All Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union, Railway Workers Union Pakistan, Humkhiyal Group Faisalabad, Omer Asghar Development Foundation Abbotabad, All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, Pakistan Workers Federation, Peoples Bureau, Awami National Party, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Sawera Welfare Organization, Karachi Power Loom General Workers Union, Choori Workers Union Hyderabad, Green Rural Development Organization Hyderabad, South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-Pk), Bonded Labour Liberation Front, Labour Rights Committee Faisalabad, Awaz Foundation Multan, Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, Sahara Development Foundation Haripur, Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), Pakistan Peoples Party (Sherpao), Aman Tahrik.

End

B. M Kutty

Secretary Pakistan peace Coalition

READ MORE HERE
and HERE and come back for MORE soon with Pictures...

UPDATE: FEB 14, 2010
‘Peace Caravan’ receives warm
welcome on way to Peshawar

Monday, February 15, 2010
By our correspondent

UPDATE just below for Feb 15 from The News dot com dot pk/daily detail here
Karachi

The “Peace Caravan” organised by the Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) left via Khyber Mail to express solidarity with the people of Pakhtunkhwa on Sunday and received a warm welcome from workers, political activists and members of the civil society from Hyderabad, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Khanwal and other railway stations on its way.

The Caravan, which started its journey from Karachi Cantt station to Peshawar through Khyber Mail on Saturday night, was joined by social workers, labour leaders, peasants, peace activists, intellectuals, writers and poets at the Hyderabad station. A large number of civil society members, who came to see their colleagues off at the railway station, were carrying banners and placards and raised slogans, condemning the terrorist incidents across the country.

At Rohri railway other participants from Khairpur and Sukkur districts joined the caravan. At Rahim Yar Khan Railway station, the local civil society organisations in general, and the trade union of Uniliver welcomed the caravan with slogans against terrorism. They expressed solidarity with peace loving people and condemned the bomb blasts in different parts of the country. They said extremism and Talibanisation has destroyed the peace in the country.

A large crowd of men, women and children had gathered at the Multan railway station to welcome the caravan and many joined the caravan all the way to Peshawar. The local leaders Nadeem Parwaz, Saleem Lodhy, Munazza Hashmi in their speeches appreciated the organisers of the Peace Caravan for expressing solidarity with the people of the Pakhtunkhwa province and condemned the terrorist acts.

The next reception for the Peace Caravan was organised by Anjuman-e-Mazareen at Khanwal railway station. Peasant leaders, Christopher and Akeela Naz in their speeches appreciated the efforts of Pakistan Peace Coalition and Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) for mobilising the civil society against terrorism. The participants condemned the latest terrorist in Dadu, which caused the death of two people and injured many others.