In Islamabad / Rawalpindi
· On June 2, Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) held a well-attended day-long seminar on the consequences of nuclearization in South Asia. The same day a PIPFPD press conference was physically attacked by rightwing goons. In spite of such intimidations, a series of seminars and meetings were held all over the country.
· A number of retired army officers also joined the emerging peace movement. On October 3, 1998, a joint statement against nuclear weapons by over 60 retired armed forces officers from Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh was released to the press.
· The Citizens Peace Committee in Islamabad organised an anti-nuke public seminar on Nov. 2, 1998, which was addressed by retired senior armed forces officers.
· The Citizens Peace Committee, Mashal Books and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute arranged a Parliamentarians-Citizens Nuclear Dialogue on Jan 28, 1999 which resulted in a very lively debate on nuclear issues. A few participating pro-nuclear parliamentarians said later that the dialogue removed many of their misconceptions, and proved fairly educational to them.
· Advocacy & Development Network (ADN), Islamabad published an informative brochure titled, ëíThe Nuclear Threatí. It was brought out for educating people about the threats that nuclear weapons pose to human and all other forms of life. To reach the larger audience, the brochure was translated in Urdu. (The ADN is a voluntary association of nine leading non-governmental organisations of the country. Its membership comprises Aurat Foundation, Christian Study Centre, The Network, Pattan, PILER, Shirkat Gah, SUNGI and SDPI). Hence this modest activity had a tremendous outreach. Later on, emerging peace groups in the country used this brochure as a tool to educate the masses about the nuclear issue including the deprivations of political, civil and economic rights that inevitably follow a nuclear arms race.
· The Rawalpindi-based Dada Amir Haider Sungat carried the message of nuke-free world to the inner city where scores of workers listened to the attentively.
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