WASHINGTON, 14 January 2004 — Complementing the recent meeting between Pakistani President Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in Islamabad, a gathering at the Gandhi Memorial Center here reflected the importance of our times.
Dr. Akbar Ahmed from American University, the prominent Islamic scholar of Pakistani background, gave the inaugural address for the center’s “Fellowship of Peace Annual Lecture Series.” This groundbreaking event brought one of the most significant developments in South Asian history to America’s doorstep and represents one of many peace initiatives arising from a deep love and respect for South Asian history and what it can teach the world.
Had I known nothing about the history of India and Pakistan prior to this historic meeting, the standing room-only audience comprised of prominent local and world leaders would have indicated to me the significance of the event.
Among media personalities from C-Span, Voice of America, the National Press Club, I noticed Dean Goodman of the School of International Service at American University; Ambassador Clovis Maksoud, former ambassador of the Arab League; and prominent South Asian leaders in the area.
The audience included people of various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Christians gathered to hear the inspiring words of Dr. Ahmed, Pakistani Ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, and Central Secretary of India Wajahat Habibullah, a current fellow at the United States Institute of Peace.
The discussions began on a very positive and symbolic note. An inaugural address by a Pakistani Muslim at the Gandhi Memorial Center was one of the many “firsts” at this meeting. Then, Ambassador Qazi became the first Pakistani envoy in history to visit the center. Another important “first” was when Shrimati Kamala, the center’s chairman, presented the first Fellowship of Peace Award to Dr. Ahmed. He was presented with Gandhi’s image emblazed upon a bronze relief plaque, symbolizing the bridge these visionaries sought to build between their cultures.
Kamala pointed to the music stand positioned in the place of the podium. She explained that she wanted to set a musical and harmonious tone for the gathering. Her intentions were further illustrated when she, the Pakistani ambassador, the Pakistani Islamic scholar, and the Indian peace activist collectively lit a candle for peace. Employing his anthropological training and Islamic perspective, Dr. Ahmed then walked the audience through Muslim and Hindu history to illustrate the phenomenal examples of peacemakers stemming from this part of the world.
Dr. Ahmed highlighted Allama Iqbal, Hali, Amir Ali and Mohammad Ali Jinnah as “extraordinary figures who represented a modern, confident Islam with a capacity to respect women, minorities and uphold human rights within the Islamic tradition.”
Quaid-e-Azam Jinnah himself presented the vision of a modern and democratic Muslim state that led to the creation of Pakistan founded upon those ideals. Dr. Ahmed then talked about the similarities between Gandhi and Jinnah. He noted that Gandhi and Jinnah were “about the same age, both from similar backgrounds, both educated in law colleges in London, both dying in the same year and both had a great deal of respect for each other.”
Dr. Ahmed further suggested that both men exemplified extraordinary leadership — characterized by vision, integrity, intelligence and humor — and that both would be disappointed by the ongoing confrontation and enmity between the two states following partition in 1947. The list of similarities between these two great men and their mutual rapport and respect remains unknown to many.
Dr. Ahmed asked the Pakistanis and Indians to read and learn about each other. “I find the tragedy of South Asia is that few in Pakistan appreciate Mahatma Gandhi’s inclusiveness and few in India appreciate Quaid-e-Azam’s inclusiveness,” he said.
He emphasized the central importance of honor or “izzat” in South Asian societies. Peace cannot exist unless the people and leaders of the two countries learn to treat each other with the honor and respect reflected in the relationship between their two great leaders, he said.
