2018
Aaghaz-e-Dosti’s statements on the missing report of our convener-Pakistan, Raza Khan
Aaghaz-e-Dosti is concerned about the whereabouts of Raza Mehmood Khan, a Pakistani peace activist who is also our convener. It has been reported that Raza Khan went missing on the evening of 2nd December 2017. He was last seen at the end of a talk he organized on the issue of extremism at his office. The Lahore police subsequently registered an FIR for the missing person case on the complaint received by his family and friends there. Since then, there has been no trace of him while the investigation is still on going.
Aaghaz-e-Dosti is a joint collaborative venture between India and Pakistan which was founded in 2012 with a team of volunteers, mostly youth and students who were advocating for global peace. Aaghaz-e-Dosti is an apolitical initiative that does not attach itself to any political ideology except for the ideology of peace and humanity. Aaghaz-e-Dosti members from both India and Pakistan have complete faith in the constitutions of their own countries and their affiliation with this initiative is voluntary on the basis of their belief in the universal values of human rights, to which all countries and people of the world are committed.
While being deeply concerned and in pain, Aaghaz-e-Dosti acknowledges Raza Khan’s valuable efforts to work for peace education, mostly among school students as a core work of the Aaghaz-e-Dosti for Indo-Pak Friendship. Raza joined Aaghaz-e-Dosti in year 2015 and was already involved in activism at a local level in Pakistan for different issues concerning Pakistan.
Aaghaz-e-Dosti extends its gratitude to everyone who are supporting and helping to find Raza Khan. We have complete faith in the working of state agencies and are hopeful that Raza will be back soon with the efforts of the Government of Pakistan and its state institutions.
Dec 24 statement https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com/2017/12/24/aaghaz-e-dosti-appeals-to-authorities-to-find-peace-activist-raza-khan/
Aaghaz-e-Dosti appeals for peace over escalation in ceasefire violations
The youth led voluntary initiative for Indo-Pak Friendship, Aaghaz-e-Dosti (lit. Beginning of friendship) expresses concern over increased incidents of ceasefire violations between the two countries across Line of Control.
“We believe that governments of the two countries are capable enough to engage in dialogue with each other and should do their best efforts to reduce these incidents of violations and cross border firings till the extent that it should not happen at all. Such cross border firings often result as fatal to soldiers and civilians on both sides and both countries must understand the pain and suffering of these soldiers and civilians who are human being.”
Read full statement at https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com/2018/03/06/aaghaz-e-dosti-appeals/
Published on:
The Nation (Pakistan) https://nation.com.pk/02-Mar-2018/aaghaz-e-dosti-urges-pakistan-india-to-reopen-diplomatic-channels?show=preview?unique_ID=636504300008702949
Rising Kashmir http://risingkashmir.com/news/aaghaz-e-dosti-urges-india-pak-to-reduce-loc-tension
Kashmir Times http://www.kashmirtimes.in/newsdet.aspx?q=76867
Launch of 6th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar in Lahore
Read News Reports
Dawn (Pakistan) https://www.dawn.com/news/1384958
Daily Times (Pakistan) https://dailytimes.com.pk/190058/aaghaz-e-dosti-peace-calendar-launched/
National Herald (India) https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/news/aaghaz-e-dosti-a-voluntary-friendship-organisation-to-launch-6th-indo-pak-peace-calendar
Launch of 6th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar in Delhi
Amid disappearance of its Convener in Pakistan since Dec 2, Aaghaz-e-Dosti continued its efforts on peace building and launched the 6th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar. Members of this young team are highly hopeful that Raza will return soon.
The 6th Indo-Pak Peace Calendar was launched in collaboration with India International Centre in New Delhi on 13th January. This calendar is a collection of selected paintings of Pakistani and Indian school students along with messages from 12 renowned persons from both countries who favor Indo-Pak Peace. This year, peace calendar carries messages of Prof M S Swaminathan (Father of Green Revolution), Kamla Bhasin (Feminist and Peace Activist), Kapil Kak (Retd Air Vice Marshal), Rahul Jalali (Former President-Press Club of India), Nirupama Subramanian (Sr. Journalist and has been posted in Pakistan for few years) and Amardeep Singh (Author-Lost Heritage-Sikh Legacy in Pakistan) from India and of Dr. Mubarak Ali (Pakistani historian), Imtiaz Alam (Secretary General SAFMA), Anam Zakaria (Activist and author), Dr Anita M Weiss (Academician) and Farooq Tariq (Activist and spokesperson of Awami workers party) and Lt. Gen (retd) Mohd M. Alam.
Read full report https://aaghazedosti.wordpress.com/2018/01/25/6th-indopak-peace-calendar/
Published on:
Times of India https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/peaceniks-launch-calendar-for-peace-among-india-pak/articleshow/62561374.cms
Kashmir Pen http://www.kashmirpen.com/aaghaz-e-dosti-launches-6th-indo-pak-peace-calendar/
Youth ki Awaaz https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2018/01/this-resistance-will-not-die-indo-pak-calendar-launch-despite-raza-khans-disappearance/
Aaghaz-e-Dosti 