Pakistan visit ‘fruitful’: Krishna

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Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Sunday left for India after concluding his Pakistan visit, saying the trip had proved fruitful for better and stronger relations between Pakistan and India. Krishna was in Lahore on his last day of the visit where he met Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, and visited the shrine of Data Sahib, Gurdwara Dera and Minar-e-Pakistan. He was welcomed at the Lahore airport by Provincial Minister Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor and several other government officials. Talking to reporters, the Indian external affairs minister said his visit was one of the links to make Pak-India relations peaceful and friendly. Krishna said Indian people and leadership desired to see a prosperous‚ stable and strong Pakistan as a neighbor, as it was in the favor of the region. He said he signed a number of agreements with Pakistan including visa liberation‚ cultural promotion and all these would help foster a much cordial relationship with Pakistan. Krishna said both neighboring countries had developed better relations in the era of democracy, but said issues between both South Asian countries could not be resolved in one or two meetings. In a meeting held at the Punjab Chief Minister’s House, Krishna and Shahbaz Sharif discussed various bilateral issues. Shahbaz said talks between India and Pakistan should discuss all outstanding issues.
Shahbaz said Pakistan and India had already fought wars that had proved to be useless. He said the wars did not give anything to the people of the two countries except problems, difficulties, poverty, unemployment, backwardness and disease. He said Pakistan and India must give peace a chance with an open heart. Talking to reporters later, Krishna said India and Pakistan were sovereign countries and should live like good neighbors. “We both have no other option but to live peacefully. We have a good friend in Pakistan and a good neighbor,” he said.The Indian foreign minister stressed the need for ushering in a new era of cooperation and cordial relations between Pakistan and India.
“Outstanding issues saddled on us by history cannot be resolved without dialogue,” he said during his meeting with Punjab Governor Latif Khosa at the Governor’s House. He also stressed the need to enhance people to people interaction, adding that it was the people that were at the heart of everything. He said India would like to take the relations forward to the most progressive direction on all matters. “We need to nurture the relations and the trust and to build on the trust between the two countries in the days to come”, he stressed. Khosa stressed the need to enhance people to people contact in all areas, including trade, art, culture and education. “We could usher in a new era of happiness through close cooperation in social sciences, education, natural sciences, trade and culture,” he added. The Indian external affairs minister also visited the shrine of great Sufi saint Hazrat Ali Hajvery (RA) known as Data Sahib and Minar-e-Pakistan. The Indian minister laid a floral wreath on the shrine and was served with Ladoos, a traditional sweet of the city. During his visit to Minar-e-Pakistan, Krishna read the resolution of Pakistan and also coined a few words in the guest-book. He later visited Gurudawara Dera Sahib (shrine of the fifth Sikh Guru Arjun Dev Ji) and Marhi Raja Ranjeet Singh, where he was welcomed with Saropa, gifts, sword and a special handkerchief.

1 COMMENT

  1. india need to grow a bone and themselves secure their defences instead of always begging Pakistan . As long as Pakistan doesn't have strong government, Basics things aren't being done let alone such complicated things. Vote Imran Khan. He can be the one who can take us out of economic, and political mess

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