Media Propagate 'Hope for Peace' in South Asia

The 'Times of India' and the Pakistani 'Jang' group have come up with a peace initiative between India and Pakistan - a first time the media have taken such a step. The two South Asian neighbours India and Pakistan have been at loggerheads since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. The conflict over Kashmir and militant attacks have fuelled animosity between them for a long time.

Despite the criticism regarding the media-led peace initiative 'Aman ki Asha', Facebook, the social networking site, records more than 8,000 followers on the project's page. This goes to show that a growing number of young people in India and Pakistan sincerely want the media to make a positive contribution towards achieving a relaxation of tensions between the two countries.

For the past 2 years the Jang Group and Geo have been working on a project of great national interest; one that we hope will help usher in an era of peace and prosperity in the country and indeed, in the region. And one that hopefully all Pakistanis can be proud of.

The Jang Group has entered into an agreement with the Times of India Group, the largest media group of India, to campaign for peace between the two countries. This huge initiative by the two largest media groups of India and Pakistan – appropriately called Aman Ki Asha – will advocate the many benefits of peace while also discussing core and non-core issues that have resulted in a state of hostilities and mistrust between the two countries for the past 60 years. Both groups have agreed to honestly and forcefully articulate issues such as Kashmir dispute, the water dispute, issues relating to terrorism and all other obstacles to peace. At the same time, Aman Ki Asha will promote the economic, educational and cultural benefits that an honorable and durable peace between the two neighbors will bring.