Two Hands Clapping

When the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA), a recognised body under SAARC, proposed this week that an 8 km-long, one km wide peace park be established on the Wagah-Attari border to enable people to meet, celebrate festivals etc, ‘Indian Punjab’ was excited. CM Amarinder Singh immediately announced that he would take up the proposal with the Centre. The park, to be made on a self-help basis by the two Punjabs, would allow people from both sides entry without visa and later return to their respective sides of the border. It was at a ‘Punjab-Punjab consultation’, jointly organised by safma and the Chandigarh Press Club, where this and other measures to speed up contact between the two countries were discussed. Another was to simplify the current cumbersome visa regime with a simple one via special visa posts at Wagah and Attari.