Badal calls for better Indo-Pak ties through people

Chandigarh, Mar 29 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has called upon the people of Indian and Pakistan Punjab to foster friendship, goodwill, mutual trust through one-to-one contact as harmony in the sub-continent was imperative for progress in the changed scenario of globalisation.

Addressing a 60-member delegation from Pakistan led by Member of Parliament Rai Aziz Ullah Khan here late last night, Mr Badal said that he was overwhelmed by their love for Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat. The people of both countries share common culture, language and traditions and still nurtured a sense of belonging with one another.

Mr Badal reminiscenced his days in F C College, Lahore where he did Graduation. He also referred to the Sikh tradition of respecting high moral and secular values and cited the example of Guru Arjan Dev, who had urged Sai Mian Mir ji, a Muslim sufi saint to lay the foundation stone of Sri Harimandir Sahib.

Mr Badal also thanked Mr Rai Ahiz Ullah Khan, whose forefathers had been bestowed with the sacred 'Ganga Sagar' , an urn given by Guru Gobind Singh in appreciation of love for the services rendered by his ancestors.

He praised Mr Khan for taking pains to bring the holy urn here whenever requested for granting 'darshan' of 'Ganga Sagar' to devotees in Indian Punjab.

The Chief Minister extended an invitation to the visitors to visit his native village 'Badal', and also expressed a keen desire to visit the countryside in Pakistan.

With a perceptible change in the Indo-Pakistan ties, the people of the two Punjabs would soon have easy access to each other's homes, he hoped.

He admired the constant efforts of Rai Aziz Ullah Khan for further improving the relations between the east and west Punjab and described him as a 'cultural ambassador'.

Speaking on the occasion, Rai Aziz Ullah Khan also reflected the similar views and praised Mr Badal and people of Punjab for according a warm welcome to the delegation which had come to attend a seminar on the life and works of Baba Bulle Shah at Ludhiana.

He exhorted the people to play a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of both nations and change their mindset to usher in an era of overall development and growth in the sub-continent.

He also underscored the need to send delegations of writers, journalists, politicians and social thinkers to promote and crystallise the thought process to enhance the prospects of ''Indo-Pak friendship''.

He noted that there was a tremendous potential of trade and commerce between Indian and Pakistan Punjab which could only be tapped with the concerted efforts on the part of both governments to ensure peace across the border to instill the sense of security and confidence amongst the prospective investors and entrepreneurs.

Other prominent Pak delegates present on the occasion included Rai Hassan Nawaz, District Nazim Saiwal, Wahid Asgar Dogar, MLA and Mallick Fazal, Deputy Nazim, who were honoured by the Chief Minister.

UNI