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After Indian missile attack, appeal from Pakistan in favour of peace, not armed nationalism
India struck Pakistani territory overnight in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan responded by shooting down planes and stressing that the victims were civilians, not terrorists as claimed by India. In Pakistan, activists, religious leaders and civil society groups harshly condemn the attack.
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Lahore (AsiaNews) – India launched air strikes, named “Operation Sindoor”, over nighttime against Pakistan. At 1 am today, Indian missiles hit nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistani-held territory.
According to Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack killed eight civilians – including a three-year-old girl – and wounded 35, while two people are missing.
The missiles reportedly hit nine targets, in Bahawalpur, Muzaffarabad, Kotli and Muridke, destroying homes and mosques.
India said the operation targeted terror hubs, two weeks after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Indian-controlled Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of being the instigator of that attack, a charge the latter has rejected.
Pakistan has instead accused India of targeting civilians and responded militarily saying that it shot down five Indian military jets and struck sites along the so-called Line of Control, the demarcation border that divides Kashmir.
By this morning, the toll had risen to 26 dead and 47 wounded on the Pakistani side, and seven dead and 38 wounded on the Indian side, but after Pakistan's response in Kashmir, Indian media reported the death of another 10 civilians.
“I strongly condemn the escalation of conflict and acts of war between India and Pakistan,” said Michelle Chaudhary, director of the Cecil & Iris Chaudhry Foundation, speaking to AsiaNews.
“The people of both nations have suffered too much, for too long,” she added. “The grief of losing loved ones is universal. Those left behind mourn alike, regardless of which side of the border they belong. Hostility needs to cease, diplomatic engagement prioritised, and disputes must be resolved through dialogue. We extend complete solidarity with the Armed Forces of Pakistan as they very bravely give their all to protect the sovereignty of our homeland.”
British human rights activist Amelia Gill also did not mince her words. “When an extremist government loses their minds, it’s always the people who lose their lives. India fires missiles inside Pakistan and casually calls it ‘non-escalatory’,” she said.
“A joke of the highest order, if only it weren’t so tragic and when all this madness ends, which it will, because no one wants a nuclear war. Guess who still stay dead? The tourists, who were killed in attacks in India, and the innocent people who died in missile strikes in Pakistan.”
“This,” the activist added, “is what happens when you elect the likes of Modi, extremists, to power,” who carry out military actions “to please a voter base drunk on hate and nationalism.” Instead, “Let’s be sane and wish for peace to prevail before minds are shattered and futures are lost.”
Father Lazar Aslam, a Capuchin Franciscan priest from Pakistan, also launched a plea. “I express my deep concern over the escalating conflict between India and Pakistan. With a heavy heart, I appeal to both nations to choose peace over hostility and to seek paths of reconciliation grounded in justice and mutual respect.
“It is my steadfast belief that we must strive to live in peace. History has repeatedly shown that war brings only suffering and destruction. India and Pakistan have already fought multiple wars, each one resulting in the loss of innocent lives and ending in temporary ceasefires – never true resolutions. The cost of continued conflict is borne not by leaders, but by civilians – families, children, and communities devastated by violence.”
He goes on to say: “The late Holy Father Pope Francis travelled the world with a singular message: peace.” Thus, “Inspired by his mission, I offer my prayers for peace and reconciliation in South Asia. [. . .] I also call upon religious leaders, civil society, and global institutions to unite in fostering a spirit of peace. Strength is not found in weapons or warfare but in the courage to forgive, to listen, and to work for harmony.”
On the anniversary of the self-immolation of Bishop John Joseph, in 1998, Christian and Muslim leaders in Faisalabad issued a press release slamming the military escalation, led by Bishop Indrias Rehmat of Faisalabad, together with Pir Abdul Rahman (chairman of the Central Interfaith Peace Committee), Hafiz Muhammad Khabib Hamid (member of the Peace Committee Faisalabad), and other clergymen,
The joint statement reads: “We respect the dignity and rights of all human beings and stand together for the establishment of a peaceful, democratic, and just societal system. In a world where wars and atrocities are prevalent, we [. . .] condemn the atrocities committed by India.”
At the same time, “We stand with our national army and appreciate their determination and sacrifices in defending our homeland. We acknowledge their hard work and courageous efforts, which are essential for safeguarding our borders and establishing peace.”
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04/03/2019 19:01
21/04/2022 14:06
