AMRITSAR, Aug 4 — With a renewed appeal for peace and cooperation between India and Pakistan, the Hind-Pak Dosti Manch will hold a candlelight vigil at the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post on the night of August 14 and 15. The vigil, to be held at midnight, coincides with the Independence Day of both nations and aims to press Pakistan to stop cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons via drones.
Despite continued diplomatic deadlock between the two countries, civil society groups from both sides are pushing for dialogue and reconciliation. The Manch, along with the Folklore Research Academy, South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA), and Punjab Jagriti Manch, will host the 30th Indo-Pak Friendship Conference earlier the same day at Khalsa College in Amritsar.
“These initiatives are meant to remind our governments that dialogue, not war, is the only path to lasting peace,” said Satnam Singh Manak, general secretary of the Folklore Research Academy, addressing a preparatory meeting. “We oppose bloodshed of any kind. Terrorism and conflict solve nothing—they only deepen mistrust.”
The events are being organized with support from farmer unions, employee federations, and writers’ collectives. The conference will feature a seminar on current Indo-Pak relations, bringing together peace advocates, academics, and cultural figures from across Punjab and beyond.
Ramesh Yadav, president of the Folklore Research Academy, said the initiative has grown in stature over the decades. “This will be the 30th edition of our peace conference. Each year, we have seen more people join this movement with a shared belief that people-to-people ties are stronger than political divides,” he said.
Yadav also confirmed that this year’s gathering would strongly condemn acts of terror, including the recent killing of tourists in Pahalgam. “We appeal to the Pakistan government to stop sheltering terrorist outfits. Only then can meaningful trust be rebuilt,” he said.
The programme will culminate at the international border with candles lit in remembrance of victims of terrorism and as a symbolic gesture promoting friendship over hostility.
