A PROMINENT peace campaigner has returned home from Pakistan with five awards.

Former Huddersfield Interfaith Council chairman Kiran Bali was honoured for her work in bringing different religious groups together.

And the Fartown woman also reopened the Hindu temple in Lahore, which was closed following sectarian riots in 1992.

The 28-year-old magistrate blew the ceremonial conch shell to signal the reopening of the temple in front of a crowd of 400, including dignitaries and the national media.

She said: "I had a feeling of enrichment, knowing that the Hindu community was able to worship in the city again.

"It was a landmark event in South Asia because the closure of the temple had been a sore point between India and Pakistan."

The temple's secretary-general, Munawar Chand, later presented Ms Bali with an interfaith plaque at a joint Diwali / Eid celebration.

Ms Bali, who is an international ambassador for the Universal Peace Federation, arrived in Lahore on October 19 and also visited the capital Islamabad during her two-week trip.

She was presented with Pakistan's highest honour, the Great Leader Award, by National Assembly member Akram Gill.

Ms Bali was also recognised by the Pakistani Human Rights Association for setting up a free eye clinic in Lahore.

The Bright Future Society presented her with a Certificate of Excellence for her fundraising for victims of last year's Kashmir earthquake.

Also, the Evangelical Christian Association recognised her work with different religions.

Ms Bali said: "My aim was to promote true friendship and harmony between all our cultures and religions, friendship that strengthens not submerges them.

"As we work together as one community we become more than the sum of our parts and our effectiveness in dealing with the problems of this world is vastly increased."

Ms Bali was encouraged by her first visit to Pakistan. She said: "There's a lot of good work going on. I think the majority of people are looking to work together."