Pakistan Film Festival:

'Unite in the name of God'

All faiths, the many civilizations, the many nations of this world must unite in the name of God and not kill in the name of God, Pakistan High Commissioner Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch said at the inaugural show of the 2nd day of Pakistan Film Festival 2011 which was held at the National Film Corporation Auditorium yesterday.

The main feature of the film festival was the screening of Khuda Khay Liye (In the name of God), a Pakistani Urdu Language film with English sub titles, written, directed and produced by Shoaib Mansoor.

Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa attended the event as the chief guest. The event was also attended by the High Commissioner of Pakistan Ms Seema Ilahi Balock, several notable personalities from all walks of life including MPs, Ministers, Media personnel, Sri Lankan celebrities from TV and Films, diplomats, businessmen, etc.

The High Commissioner of Pakistan Ms Seema Ilahi Baloch, said in her opening remarks "We worship in the name of God; We seek mercy in the name of God; We ask for our daily bread in the name of God; We give and we forgive in the name of God; But should we also kill in the name of God? That is the question this film attempts to answer, this evening.

She said that she hoped this film would help the audience to get a perspective of an average moderate Pakistani family on the global war on terror. A war which was being fought on the territory of Afghanistan, but with grave consequences to Pakistan."

"This movie is about two young men suffering the impact of the war on terrorism. Pakistan as some of you may know, has been thrust into the front-line of the war on terror since 1979. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, Pakistan's territory was used to wage a holy war or a jihad against the Soviets. The meaning of Jihad was interpreted, it mean only as a war against those who are not Muslims", she added.

She said that "the essence of jihad as our holy book the Quran states, is the struggle within us, the war within us to overcome the evil within us. That is the real jihad. And when the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989 and the Berlin Wall fell, the West also withdrew its support from the jihad. Afghanistan descended into chaos.

The Mujahdeen or those fighting the war gave birth to a second generation of warriors called the Taliban. Pakistan, barely recovering from the war with the Soviets with 3 million Afghan refugees on its soil, was once more thrust into the front line after the tragic incident of 9/11".

She further remarked that "the men who crashed the planes into the Twin Towers were neither Pakistanis nor Afghanis. Yet Afghanistan was attacked and Pakistan was forced to co-operate. We did not ask for this war. We know just as you know with your experience of war and its atrocities that war destroys a nation - physically, and spiritually".

"The innocent women and children are being killed in the border areas of Pakistan even now: Since 2001, over 12,000 soldiers have died or been wounded; 261 suicide attacks have resulted in 10,000 dead and wounded; Pakistan has suffered more than 22,000 casualties in our fight against terrorism," she added.

In conclusion she urged the audience to open their hearts and minds to look beyond even the film which they will see tonight. Because the victims of this war are real, their suffering is real; their loss of dignity is real. Only then, we will understand that the many faiths, the many civilizations, the many nations of this world must unite in the name of God, and not kill in the name of God.