PM renews call for Treaty of Peace, Friends with Pak

Amritsar, Dec 20: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today renewed his offer of a Treaty of Peace, Security and Friendship with Pakistan as an embodiment of the trust, friendship and collective destiny of the two nations.

''I earnestly hope that the relations between us become so friendly and that we generate such an atmosphere of trust with each other that the two nations would be able to agree on a Treaty of Peace, Security and Friendship,'' he said at a public meeting here.

Earlier, the Prime Minister launched a number of development projects including the 600MW Goindwal Thermal Power Project, construction of the four laning of the Amritsar-Wagah National Highway-I Guru Ram Dass Water Supply and Sewage Project and a multi-crore Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission for this Holy City.

He also handed over the 18th century majestic Gobindgarh Fort to the civil administration as he took the keys from Panthers Division commander Maj Gen K M S Shergill and gave them to Deputy Commissioner K S Bhullar.

The Prime Minister, who arrived here last night, began his day with an early morning visit to Jallianwala Bagh and placed a wreath at the Flame of Liberty.

Dr Singh reached the Golden Temple at 0715 hrs, amid tight security and prayed for peace and prosperity of the nation.

He was accompanied by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Avtar Singh Makkar and Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and some of his cabinet colleagues.

Dr Singh's statement outlining his vision regarding India and Pakistan comes close on the heels of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's statement that the country had never claimed Kashmir as its integral part.

Welcoming ''all ideas'' contributing to the ongoing efforts for better India-Pakistan ties, Dr Singh however, sought an atmosphere of trust between both the nations.

Dr Singh said he had talked about such a treaty from this same place, bordering Pakistan, earlier as well. He said he was sure that all the hurdles in the path could be overcome and such a treaty would be realised.

He also pointed out the need for both the neighbours to realise a collective destiny.

The Indian government has been trying its best to establish an atmosphere of peace with Pakistan and improve the bilateral ties, the Prime Minister said.

Expressing concern at the rural indebtedness in Punjab, Dr Singh outlined the efforts to provide loans to farmers at a reduced interest rate. Rs 100 crore have been provided to Punjab Agriculture University for modernisation of agriculture in the state, the ''granary of the country.'' He reiterated that the much talked about peaceful atmosphere could benefit both India and Pakistan in trade and in improving the lives of the people on both sides of the border regions.

Dr Singh also expressed hope that the Indo Pak trade could get a boost with the opening of the Wagah border near here. ''I am confident that if we continue on this path of peace, then Amritsar can once again regain its glory as a major centre of trade and commerce''. ''I believe that this is possible and we will make it happen.

This is not a dream, it can be a reality,'' he added.

The Prime Minister pointed out the various bus services started between the two countries, the benefits of which had accrued to the people of Punjab as well. ''Bus services continue between Amritsar and Lahore and Amritsar and Nankana Sahib.'' The movement of trucks between the two countries has also become simpler and this has greatly facilitated the easy movement of people and goods.

''Trade has increased and Amritsar has benefited'', he added.

Taking a religious tone, Dr Singh said, ''Every Sikh while saying his morning prayer, wish and find hope that they (Sikhs) should once again have easy access to those religious places which are now in Pakistan.

The UPA government, he said, has been working hard and making every possible effort to make this wish of the Sikhs a reality, he added.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs 114 crore to upgrade the Indo-Pak joint check post at Wagah and the Attari railway station, the Prime Minister said.

Besides, in order to facilitate cultivation of farms in border areas, the duration for which farmers could cross the border fence to work their fields has been increased to enable them to work much longer than before along the entire 500 km, he informed.

He said the government also recently provided a package with an additional assistance of Rs 137 crores to the Punjab government to facilitate the people facing hardships in the state's border belt.

Under this, schools, dispensaries, hospitals, toilets and technical centres would be built in the border districts of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Ferozepur, Mr Singh added.

The Centre had also agreed to build 500 km of rural roads in the border districts, he said. '' If we are able to increase our trade and commercial relations with Pakistan, these deprived areas would certainly benefit a lot,'' he added.

Other projects initiated in the border region included beginning of civilian flights from Pathankot airport and an industrial park in Batala, he said.

For Amritsar, a Rs 180 crore project under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for improving basic facilities in the city has been initiated as a part of the larger City Development Plan, being supported by the Centre, he added.

''Our government is 4-laning the road from Amritsar to Wagah through the National Highway Authority. We will improve the facilities at Wagah and bring them to a level comparable to any international airport or port so that transit through Wagah becomes fast, convenient and easy,'' he added.

Dr Singh who launched these projects from the rally site, said, ''I believe that in a short while, the journey from Amritsar to Wagah and the transit of people and goods through Wagah will become so easy that this road will once again become a major highway for trade and commerce.'' The Prime Minister was honoured with the 'Siropa' (robe of honour) by Giani Gurbachan Singh, Head Granthi of the Golden Temple.

Later, Mr Singh was presented with another Siropa and a replica of the Golden Temple by the SGPC chief outside the Golden Temple Information office.

On the occasion, the SGPC also submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister which among other things, requested Dr Singh's intervention to get the death sentence of Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) terrorist Davinderpal Singh Bhullar commuted to life imprisonment in the case of attack on former All India Youth Congress AIYC chief Maninderjit Singh Bitta in the mid 1990's in which many security personnel were killed.

The SGPC also demanded stern punishment for those who were involved in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, return of valuable manuscripts and historical and rare documents taken away by the security forces during the ''Operation Blue Star'', control of the bi-weekly Amritsar-Nankana Sahib and Amritsar-Lahore bus services and to ensure the release of all Sikhs detained in prisons across the border.

Mr Makkar during his brief interaction with Dr Singh also brought up the issue of 'kirpans' (swords) being carried by baptised Sikhs on international flights.

The Prime Minister assured that the demands will be considered sympathetically.

The Prime Minister's main engagement was at Ranjit Avenue where at a rally organised by the ruling Congress government, he launched a number of development projects through remote control.

The 35-km four-laning project estimated to cost Rs 205.88 crore is expected to facilitate import-export trade through the Wagah road joint check post with Pakistan.

The multi-crore Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNURM) will greatly improve civic amenties in the Holy City which is visited by pilgrims from all over the world, around the year.

The Rs 3000-crore ambitious Goindwal Power Project is a joint venture of the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) and GVK Power Ltd and envisions power sharing on a long term basis for a period of 25 years.

The Prime Minister detailed various measures being undertaken for the development of Punjab which include many industrial parks and SEZs, such as SEZ at Amritsar ad Textile Parks for Ludhiana and Barnala as well as an industrial park at Batala.

The Indian Railways have agreed to build eight more rail over bridges at Bhatinda, Malot, Abohar, Mansa, Mor Mandi and Lehardaga.

The Railways have aso decided to develop Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana railway stations into stations with world-class amenities.

A logistic park is being planned at Ludhiana. Amritsar airport is being modernised at a cost of Rs 80 crore.

UNI