'Asia also needs Mandela Model'

Express Tribune

2 days ago

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has called for Asia to adopt Nelson Mandela's model of reconciliation, stressing that it presents a peaceful and democratic roadmap for divided societies, while reaffirming Pakistan's long-standing ties with Africa.
Speaking at the first-ever African Political Parties Summit, hosted by Ghana and attended by more than 200 representatives from over 40 African countries, Mushahid became one of the first Asians specially invited to address the historic gathering.
He represented both his role as Co-Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and as President of PAIDAR, Pakistan's first think tank on Africa.
During his visit as a guest of the Ghanaian government, he also met Vice President Jane Naana, Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, and Ethiopia's Deputy Prime Minister Ebrahim Farah, among other African leaders.
In his address, Mushahid highlighted Pakistan's "consistent and principled" support for African liberation struggles, including those in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Eritrea, Somalia, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
He also recalled the 1955 Bandung Conference, co-sponsored by Pakistan and hosted by Indonesian President Sukarno, which laid the foundation for Afro-Asian solidarity.
Drawing on his long association with the continent, the senator mentioned his multiple visits to countries such as South Africa, Rwanda, Angola, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia, and recalled serving as Minister-in-Waiting to Nelson Mandela during the South African leader's 1999 state visit to Pakistan.
Introducing PAIDAR (Pakistan-Africa Institute of Development and Research), he described it as Pakistan's principal non-governmental platform to promote ties with Africa.
Hailing the "Mandela Model" of peace and reconciliation as a template relevant to Asia, he emphasised its three key components: First, Mandela's belief in a policy of generosity rooted in a "forgive-and-forget" approach; second, rejection of "vengeance, vendetta and victimisation"; and third, inclusive democratic governance and respect for public office as a "people's trust", demonstrated by Mandela's voluntary exit after completing one elected term.
Mushahid also praised Mandela's support for the struggles of the people of Occupied Palestine and Occupied Kashmir, describing him as a "principled statesman".
He termed the present era "the century of the resurgence of the Global South, encompassing Asia, Africa and Latin America, and paid tribute to Ghana's founding leader Kwame Nkrumah, whom he called an architect of non-alignment and champion of Pan-African unity, laying a wreath at Nkrumah's mausoleum in Accra.
Mushahid assured African leaders that Pakistan-Africa ties would deepen in areas such as diplomacy, trade and investment, education, IT, mining and critical minerals.
While in Accra, he also addressed the Pakistani community at a Pakistan Day event and met representatives of African think tanks, leading media figures and business leaders.