Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy

1.     Name:
Pakistan-India Peoples Forum For Peace And Democracy India.

2.    Registered Office:
The registered office of the society shall be situated in the national capital territory of Delhi. At present it is located at D-1008 New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110065.

3.    Aims and Objectives:

The aims and objectives for which the Forum is established are as under:-

a)   Promotion of peace between India and Pakistan through people to people initiatives;

b)    Promotion of democracy and secularism;

4.    In furtherance of which objectives the Forum shall:

a)    Arrange and participate in joint Peoples’ Conventions;
b)    Set up Joint Committees for programmes agreed upon;
c)    Promote exchange programmes between the people;
d)    Create public awareness of the objectives of the Forum through print and electronic media and other forms of communications;
e)    Promote joint cultural and sporting events.
f)    Organise seminars, camps, field studies and other projects that may enable people in the two countries to learn about each other and foster feelings of friendship;
g)    Promote study and research into factors which strengthen democratic rights;
h)    Organise programmes, seminars and other avenues for collaboration between the two countries in the fields of trade, economic and international affairs;
i)    Generate resources for carrying out the objectives of the Forum, including acquisition of movable and immovable property;
j)    Collaborate with other organisations of Indians and Pakistanis working towards strengthening democracy in Pakistan and India and for peace between the two countries;
k)    Acquire by gift, purchase, exchange, lease or hire or otherwise acquire howsoever any lands, buildings any other property movable and/or immovable and any estate or interest for the furtherance of the objectives of the Forum;
l)    To sell, manage, transfer, exchange, mortgage, lease, dispose of or otherwise deal with any property belonging to and for the best interest of the Forum;
m)    To draw, make, accept, endorse and discount cheques, notes, or other negotiable instruments for the purpose of the Forum;
n)    To invest the funds of the Forum not immediately required, in accordance with the Income Tax Act 1961;y for the objectives of the Forum;
p)    To do all such other lawful acts, deeds, or things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above objects;
q)    To undertake such other activities from time to time as shall be deemed necessary for the attainment of the objectives of the Forum;
r)    To make rules and regulations for the conduct of the affairs of the Forum and to add, amend, vary or rescind them from time to time.

The initiative towards formation of Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy was taken in late 1993 and the first joint declaration was announced on September 4, 1994 at Lahore. The objective of this initiative was to facilitate common people in both the countries to listen to voices that are different from the belligerent voices of the respective Governments.

It is with the objective of asserting the sanity of the peace loving people of India and Pakistan that concerned citizens and groups in both the countries have come together to formulate strategies for promoting peace and strengthen democracy in the sub-continent. Democratic rights activists, business people, trade unionist, environmentalists, women’s movements, artists, writers, social workers, professionals, academicians, students, scientists and mass movements have joined hands in a concerted attempt to persuade their respective governments to enter into meaningful negotiations and adopt policies that will reduce tensions and pave way for lasting peace and friendship. To this end, the Forum has organised so far seven Joint Conventions, the first in Delhi February 1995, the second in Lahore in November 1995, the third in Calcutta in December 1996, the fourth in Peshawar in November 1998, the fifth in Bangalore in April 2000, the sixth in Karachi in December 2003 and the seventh in Delhi  in  February 2005.Each convention was attended by an average of 350 delegates - from both the countries - in historic meetings that discussed five major issues:

• War, de-militarisation, peace and peace dividends;
• Democratic solution to Kashmir problem;
• Democratic Governance;
• Religious intolerance in India and Pakistan; and
• Globalisation and Regional Cooperation. The last was added at the 5th joint convention in Bangalore.

In all the seven joint conventions, the themes were discussed in groups and in plenaries and specific recommendations were made. At the end of each Joint Convention common resolutions and declarations were made. Copies of which were sent to both the Governments.