Mayor of Barking Nirmal Singh Gill & Fazal Rehman with the peace bus

A peace campaign has been launched on Newham’s buses by an Upton Park based Muslim group.

East Ham MP Stephen Timms was among the dignitaries to attend the unveiling of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community peace drive at the Stagecoach bus depot in Tudor Road.

Fazal ur Rehman, regional president of the East London branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at Baitul Ahad Mosque, said: “We are simply articulating what Islam is all about - loyalty, freedom, respect and peace.

“Ignorance of Islam and Muslims has allowed a culture of suspicion and prejudice to develop in society and this is further fuelled by a tiny minority of extremists who reject the common values that we all hold dear.

“Our campaign, therefore, aims to shed a little light of understanding and knowledge about true Islam.”

After the launch of 810 ‘peace buses’ last year, a further 240 are being run across the UK this year.

The peace offensive also includes a leafleting campaign spreading the message of understanding to every household in the UK.

A website has been launched at www.LoveForAllHatredForNone.org to promote the Muslim group’s positive message.