AMRITSAR: India and Pakistan government took some bold initiatives to further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two which includes easing out the visa regime and opening of Integrated Check Post at Attari (India)-Wagha (Pakistan) border but still lot was to be done and hopefully it would be achieved in the near future with sincere and relentless efforts, said Union external affairs minister Salman Khurshid in his opening remarks after inauguration of the 8th South Asian Free Media (SAFMA) Conference-2013 organized for the first time in Punjab.
On the occasion Salman assured the members of SAFMA that he would soon take up the matter with his ministry to sort out the issue of multiple visa to the journalists of SAARC countries.
He said he would also take up the issue of opening up of the corridor between Dera Baba Nanak (India) and Kartarpur Sahib (Pakistan) with the home ministry.
Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had taken up the issues of opening of corridor and another trade route through Hussainiwala border.
In his inaugural address, Badal said it was the need of the hour to eliminate all the physical barriers for the promotion of people to people contact to foster goodwill, friendship and amity in the South Asian Region.
He said that this could only be achieved by the sincere and concerted efforts of both the national governments of India and Pakistan.
Badal also urged SAFMA to take up the issue of opening of corridor with both the central governments of India and Pakistan.
Badal also supported the issue of unrestricted multiple visa to the media persons for their free movement across Asia and asked the ministry of external affairs to concede this long pending demand of media fraternity.
He sought the cooperation from SAFMA in setting up of the South Asian economic and parliamentary union which could lead to the formation of 'Asian Economic Union' on the lines of European Economic Union.
He said that in this context India and Pakistan could play a leading role as some remarkable progress had already been made in this directions by these two countries by opening the Attari-Wagha border for trade, although the scale of trade there was needed to be increased.
On the occasion, the president of Indian chapter of SAFMA, Vinod Sharma, gave a brief account of the activities of SAFMA in the country in general and in creating awareness of 'Asian Unity' by organizing a series of media events like conferences and media submits to promote peace, understanding and international cooperation especially amongst the SAARC countries.
Later, Salman Khurshid accompanied by Badal visited the Golden Temple to pay obeisance.
Badal presented a 'Siropa' (robe of honour), shawl, portrait of the Golden Temple and a set of religious books to Salman.
Lot to be done to strengthen Indo-Pak bilateral ties: Salman Khurshid
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Lot to be done to strengthen Indo-Pak bilateral ties: Salman Khurshid
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Lot to be done to strengthen Indo-Pak bilateral ties: Salman Khurshid
