Ride for Movement & Peace

Letter to Commercial Companies operating in Indo-Pak

PERSONAL PROFILE:
My name is Tanveer Ahmed. I was born in Pakistan-administered Kashmir but have lived in the UK since the age of 4. Having had a mixed education of Madrassah and Secular in the UK before graduating in Economics and working in Finance and IT, I felt it absolutely imperative to become a journalist in the wake of 9/11. I have now been ‘stuck’ in Pakistan for over 26 months pursuing a 20 year old ambition of re-uniting my Muslim ‘Naani’ (maternal grandmother) with her Hindu siblings living approximately 90 kilometres away on the other side of the ‘Line of Control’ (separated since 1947).
ISSUE AND MOTIVATION
Initially, I went through a formal procedure of applying for an Indian visa in London before being requested to re-apply again in Islamabad, albeit without success. I then subsequently raised the issue with numerous influential individuals and organizations in Pakistan as well as with Indians that I've had the opportunity of meeting here, alas nothing positive surfaced. I have found it impossible to contemplate returning to the UK without fulfilling this quest which has disturbed me throughout my adult life (My Naani brought me up for those first 4 years of my life). Straining to make some tangible progress, I've decided to embark on a bicycle ride as of 06/07/07, starting from Torkham (NWFP), travelling along the famous GT Rd. aiming to cover the breadth of Pakistan and India, with a focus on gauging common people's thoughts on the ground and striving to create an atmosphere of friendship and mutual confidence with a stress on social harmony, the virtues of diversity and balanced economic development.
In the meantime, I’ve had to abandon my journalism career in the UK (I have previously been editor of The Muslim Weekly, have corresponded from Iraq and Afghanistan and have done radio correspondence and web features for the BBC), I have set up my own Media company (Maloomaat Pvt. Ltd.) and have entitled this bicycle ride as a ‘Ride for Movement and Peace’.
AMBITION
No doubt, the motivation for my plan derives primarily from my personal circumstances. However, having witnessed Indians and Pakistanis co-existing harmoniously and productively in far flung corners of the world, there has developed a burning ambition to refrain from concentrating on my personal issue and working constructively to alleviate the obstacles that face people residing in this region. Thereby playing my part in helping to achieve a positive ground change in what has historically been one South Asian homeland.
REQUEST
In my research over the past two years here, I feel that both countries are unanimous in understanding that the peace process must now be taken up by both publics in order to inspire confidence into their respective governments to bring changes that reflect peace, progress and harmony. I intend to make my contribution by obtaining finance from commercial organisations (as opposed to governments or other funding organisations) as it is always the business community that accurately reflects changing patterns in society. Hence, my request for assistance in this matter.