President’s visit to India will promote relations: Firdous

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Sunday said that the president’s visit to India will to promote bilateral relations of two countries. Talking to Pakistan Television (PTV), she said that the visit of President was private and there he will pay visit to Ajmer Shareef and also to attend a luncheon being hosted in his honor by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Firdous while rejecting the news of ’40 members delegation with President Zardari’ said that the news was baseless. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Interior Minister Rehman Malik and Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani also the part of delegation,” she added.
Information Minister said the President’s visit was in national interest and President was ready to go anywhere, any time for this cause.
She said President Zardari played vital role in improving ties with all neighbor countries. “Although the visit is private, but the two leaders will discuss all the issues and it will contribute towards achieving the President’s vision to promote intra-regional peace and prosperity,” she said.
Dr Firdous said, “We are looking forward for a constructive engagement between the two leaders in New Delhi.”
She said “we want issues between the two countries including Kashmir to be resolved by dialogue.” “Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) wants Indo-Pak ties to be based on mutual respect and equality,” she said. She said Pakistan and India have important role in SAARC region as they both are Nuclear powers and they should show their responsibility for peace and stability in the region.
“Peace in region is in favor of both the nations,” Dr Firdous added.
She said “We desires to increase the economic cooperation with India by keeping in view our national interest” because the poverty and unemployment was one of the major problems facing by both the countries. Dr Firdous said targets could be achieved by a positive gesture from both sides.
PNCA to hold free puppet show for children: The Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) in collaboration with ministry of National Heritage and Integration has scheduled a free puppet show for children here today.
The puppeteers of National Puppet Theater (NPT) will present colorful segments including performance of puppets on popular folk tales, regional dances, national songs and skits to provide entertainment and education about social issues like health, education and environment etc.
Children from various educational institutions along with parents are invited to attend the show. Meanwhile, the PNCA has scheduled an exhibition of water colour paintings by Dr Ajaz Anwar and cartoons by his father Anwar Ali here on April 10 at National Art Gallery.