ISLAMABAD: Amid Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Holi celebrations after its thumping victory in UP polls, a Pakistani girl penned a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealing to work as harbinger of peace “If he wants to win more elections in future”, The Indian Daily newspaper, Hindustan Times reported.
Aqeedat Naveed (11), in her letter, said governments of
Pakistan and India should buy more books, instead of bullets, to start a new chapter of peace between the two countries.
“Both countries should resolve that they will not buy guns, but will provide free medicines to hundreds of thousands of ailing people of both the nations,” she said.
Aqeedat’s father Ahmed Naveed, an assistant professor in National College of Arts (NCA), Lahore, informed the newspaper through a mail about her letter to Modi.
Aqeedat and her brother Moarikh Naveed (14) also spoke to the paper over phone.
The two-page handwritten letter, dated March 13, read both countries would benefit by maintaining good relations with each other.
Aqeedat had earned accolades in her country for writing letters in support of peace and tolerance to world leaders, including that of India and Pakistan.
In another letter, Aqeedat and her brother Moarikh had written to Chief of Army Staff Qamar Bajwa congratulating him for the success of the recently launched operation ‘Radd-ul-Fasaad’ against terrorists. She praised him for his efforts to restore peace.
The duo also drew the attention of Nawaz Sharif to the condition of Sikhs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the Sikhs continued to live without basic necessities.
Aqeedat studies in 5th grade at Cathedral School, Lahore while Moarrikh is in 8th grade in the same school.
Peace letter writing was Moarikh’s idea. He said, “I took this idea from my syllabus and started writing letters for peace.” Aqeedat just followed him.
Earlier, too, the kids had written letters to leaders in India. “PM Modi sent a greeting card to us in return,” claimed Moarikh’s father.
Indian ambassador in Islamabad Gautam Bambawale also answered Aqeedat’s letter.
Aqeedat also received a greeting card from 2016 Nobel peace prize winner and Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos.
When Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj was unwell some time back, Aqeedat wished her a speedy recovery through a letter. She had written to Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Home Minister Rajnath Singh
and President Pranab Mukherjee among others. The kids strongly believed that India and Pakistan could become good friends.
