New Indian envoy reaches Pakistan through Wagah border

Lahore/New Delhi, July 16: India's new High Commissioner to Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan Monday reached Lahore via the Wagah border.

Addressing mediapersons in Amritsar in India before crossing over, Raghavan said he wanted to tackle the challenges and threats that India-Pakistan bilateral relations face.

"There is a change in environment in Pakistan and certainly that is very important. In my view the last few years have shown the potential which exists when there are good relations between India and Pakistan. At the same time there are a number of challenges and threats which are posed to bilateral relations. So my effort will be to move forward on all these issues," said Raghavan.

Raghavan, who has earlier served as Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad from 2003 to 2007, is known as a diplomat with a thorough understanding of Pakistan's political dynamics.

Outgoing Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal is expected to return to India by the end of this month, said Dawn.com.

A 1982-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Raghavan was India's high commissioner to Singapore and joint secretary of the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) division in the ministry of external affairs.

According to a report in the Pakistani media, Raghavan could have to wait for some time for presenting his credentials since President Asif Ali Zardari is away from the country on a private visit.

IANS