Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Sept 6: Coming to Jammu has been spiritually most satisfying experience for me, said former Pakistani Ambassador Arif Kamaal, who is visiting Jammu, the place of his birth, along with his wife and two daughters.
Speaking during the interaction with citizens of the winter capital, organized by J&K Institute of Peace, Justice and Democracy, at Hotel Jammu Ashok, Ambassador Arif Kamaal said that coming to Jammu has been a voyage of re-discovery of roots for him. He said that his family used to live in Mohalla Darugiran and at the time of Partition when his family moved over to Mirpur, he was only nine months old.
Ambassador Arif Kamaal , who before retiring from Pakistan Foreign Service in 2007, has been Pak Ambassador to Russia, Jorden, Iran, Southi Arabia and Qatar, said that during his tenure he had crossed number of international borders but coming to Jammu and Kashmir through LoC without a passport has been most exciting event of his life as it was like moving from one part to another part of the erstwhile State of J&K.
The Ambassador, said that his elder brother Tariq Masood, who retired as chief secretary, was studying in Model Academy at the time of Partition.
He further said that despite respective national identities, the fact of shared identity of the former State of J&K, binds together the people living on both sides of LoC. The dividing line has created a trust deficit and which needs to be overcome by increased people to people contacts. Referring to high attainment levels in education on both sides despite lack of infrastructure and other shortcomings, he said people on both side of LoC can give a lead to the normalization of Indo-Pak relations. He said both countries are suffering economically due to absence of peaceful atmosphere and the international investors are shying away to invest in two neighboring countries.
Surayia Begum, Ambassador’s wife whose father belonged to Kashmir, said that the pangs of separation and longing for homeland have been part of her family history while living across the LoC. She was immensely happy for her daughters Maryiam and Rehmat, who got an opportunity to see the land of their ancestors and meet blood relations.
Speaking on the occasion, Ved Bhasin, chairman, Kashmir Times Group and President, J&K Institute of Peace, Justice and Democracy, said that Mirpur and other parts of Pak occupied Kashmir identify more with Jammu, and more people from that side want come to Jammu. The opening of LoC has been welcomed but there is urgent need to make the travel across the LoC hassle free. He said other than only divided families, the people having emotional bond for areas on both sides would also like to visit. For that more routes like Jourian-Bhimber, Nowshera and Suchetgarh should also be opened. He said meeting of people from both the side would create opportunities for dialogue and overcoming of misgivings and distrust.
Prof Zahoor-ud Din, former Registrar, University of Jammu, S S Baloeria, VC, Central University, Khalid Hussain, well-known Punjabi writer, Masood Choudhary, former VC Baba Gulam Shah Badshah University, Prof Poonam Dhavan, JU, Sarla Kohli, former principal, and others also spoke on the occasion. Prominent citizens present in the interaction among others also included Prof Susheel Sharma, Zaffar Choudhary, S I H Qazami, Jameel Qazmi and Jatinder Bakshi.
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