Lahore, Sep 28 (PTI) Abdul Waseel has been unable to sleep over the past few days, excited at the prospect of finally travelling to India from Pakistan to hand over a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi painted with his blood to a museum dedicated to the apostle of peace. I want to tell Indians that ordinary Pakistanis like me are peace-loving people. I painted the portrait of the great Indian leader with my blood to send a message of peace and love to the world, said Waseel, popularly known as 'Painter Babu'. The 40-year-old painter, a resident of Garhi Shahu in the old quarters of Lahore, said he always had an intense desire to do something that would set him apart from others in his profession. And this led to the unique portrait of Gandhi. Because Im hard working, Im considered the best painter in my locality but my desire to do something different or extraordinary could not be fulfilled. Two years ago, while discussing this with my friends, the idea of doing a painting of the worlds great leaders with my blood struck me, Waseel said in an interview with PTI. Waseel said he first painted the portrait of Gandhi, followed by paintings of Pakistans founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the renowned poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal, slain former premier Benazir Bhutto and South African leader Nelson Mandela. PAK-PAINTER 2LAST The artist said he was inspired to paint the portrait of Gandhi after reading about his commitment to non-violence. In the old days, everything was about blood. People would give every last drop of their blood for their friends. Through this painting, I paid tribute to Gandhi with my blood, Waseel said. Seeing my work, people of the area asked me if I had gone crazy to be painting with my blood. My immediate response was: I am happy to do something different. When a visiting Indian journalist appreciated my work some time ago, I felt on top of the world. After getting a 15-day visa for New Delhi and Ajmer, Waseel decided to travel to the Indian capital by train on September 28. At his request, the Indian High Commission gave him a transit visa for Amritsar so that he could witness the ceremony for lowering the flags of India and Pakistan at the Wagah land border from the Indian side. Arrangements have been made for Waseel to hand over his painting to the Gandhi Smriti, the museum in New Delhi located in the house where the Mahatma spent the last days and was assassinated in 1948. Waseel expressed a certain amount of regret for the way he is treated in his homeland. I wanted to present the portrait of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto to President Asif Ali Zardari but I was invited to the Governors House in Lahore where a Pakistan Peoples Party leader told me that my creation would be sent to the President, he said. I would have liked to present Gandhijis portrait to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and tell him that most Pakistanis are like me and want good relations with India. Why are we making bombs? We should provide education and a better future to our children and this can be possible through peaceful relations between India and Pakistan, said the father of three daughters. Waseel said he was undeterred in his plans to travel to India despite opposition from some quarters. He said he was quizzed by Pakistani intelligence operatives outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad when he went for a visa interview. When I told them about the purpose of my visit, they taunted me with sarcastic remarks. They said, Look at this new champion of peace. Shall we give you a Nobel peace prize? But I didnt change my mind, he said.
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