News / easton
Bristol’s Pakistani and Indian communities unite for peace
Members of Bristol’s Indian and Pakistani communities gathered together to call for peace and unity.
After weeks of conflict, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday.
Although the two nations have now agreed to a ceasefire, many are concerned a full scale war may soon erupt between the two nuclear-armed powers.
This includes members of the Indian and Pakistani diaspora in Bristol.
Members of Bristol’s Pakistani and Indian communities have called for peace between the two nations following weeks of conflict
On Sunday afternoon, members of both communities met on Stapleton Road in Easton at an event organised by Mubashar Chaudhry, a local community organiser.
At the event Chaudhry said: “The real enemy of both countries is poverty and hunger. We should unite and fight our common enemy.
“As overseas Indian and Pakistani communities, we must set an example to show the people of India and Pakistan that we share so much in common. Let’s not allow hate and division to define us.”
Members of both communities broke bread together on Sunday
Other speakers, including Tom Aditya, chairman of the Bristol Multifaith Forum, and Shahid Awan, a local poet, spoke about the importance of media not inflaming tensions and for India and Pakistan to prioritise cooperation over conflict.
Raja Rizwan, a local businessman, said: “Here in the UK, we (Indians and Pakistanis) share business and culture daily. Why can’t the people of India and Pakistan do the same and prosper together?”
Kamran Munir, a data science professor at UWE Bristol, added: “Ceasefire is a wise step for both nations. We must not waste resources on war – instead, let’s invest them in improving people’s lives.”
All photos: Mubashar Chaudhry
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