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Politics : Idea Of The Day -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: sandeep who wrote (43099)	8/15/2002 3:58:32 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Respond to of 50167

Ask this guy <General Aharon Zeevi Farkash, of IDF>

To: sandeep who wrote (43099)	8/15/2002 7:32:03 PM
From: IQBAL LATIF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 50167

The Daily Times launch seminar on Thursday with author Arundhati Roy as keynote speaker drew more than 1,500 people to the Pearl Continental. Parking at the hotel was a near nightmare with most everyone who could skip work attending the seminar. A-level students celebrated their results by attending the seminar, most were carrying copies of The God of Small Things and the special supplement printed by Daily Times. This was but one segment of the broad cross-section of society that attended the event. Eagerness to listen to the ‘lioness of literature’, as Slate.com has called her, was manifest. Daily Times publisher Salmaan Taseer generously gave up his turn to speak to give the people what they had come for. “Let there be light,” master of ceremonies Jugnu Mohsin proclaimed and the crowd rose to its feet. Though she was treated like a star, Ms Roy was modest and self-effacing. Once the seminar was over, fans surrounded Ms Roy who seemed surprised. Autograph seekers, writers in the making and assorted others clamoured to have a word with the Kerala-reared author. Tea was served in a tent by the pool and when Ms Roy arrived an hour later, having obliged her fans, she was swarmed once again. Former Chief of Army Staff Jehangir Karamat, social activists Nigar Ahmed and Nighat Saeed Ali Khan, actress Madeeha Gauhar and her playwright husband Shahid Nadeem, publisher of Libas Sehyr Saigol, journalist Nusrat Jamil, intellectual powerhouse Shaista Sirajuddin, interior designer Ghazala Rahman, man about town Khalid Ghias and socialite Amna Taseer were among those that attended. The younger generation of Lahori professionals were also out in full force including events planner Jalal Salahuddin, TV personality Sanam T, environmental activist Rina Saeed Khan, writer Amna Gillani and freelance journalist and socialite Mahlia Lone. Former Foreign Minister of Pakistan Sardar Aseff Ahmed Ali said about strained Indo-Pakistani relations that over a billion people in both countries have been forced to live in an atmosphere of confrontation, their armies eyeball-to-eyeball on the borders. He said the tension was so great that it could lead to an accidental war. He regretted that after the attack on the Indian parliament Prime Minister Vajypayee began making war threats to Pakistan whereas serious and meaningful dialogue needed to be initiated between the two countries. He said new enterprise was necessary for peace that could begin with de-escalation on the borders, normalizing of relations and gradually heading towards peace and security. Sartaj Aziz, former finance and foreign minister, characterised the history of Indo-Pakistan relations as a history of missed opportunities. Speaking here on Wednesday at the Peace and Freedom seminar organised by Daily Times, Mr Aziz said both countries missed an opportunity to settle the Kashmir dispute in the 1950s. “We have been going around in circles since then,” he said, “because neither country is willing to be practical.” This, he said, has strained Indo-Pakistan relations and diverted funds from development to defence. Mr Aziz said strong government and civil society and public opinion were needed to resolve outstanding problems. “Unfortunately, public opinion has been influenced by negative images and distortion of history by the media,” he said. “We need a new movement at the civil society level for the next five years to start a process for the reversal of the policies of the last 50.”