November 8, 2003	Saturday	Ramazan 12, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 7: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed will meet Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Nov 11 during a visit to India. He leaves for New Delhi via Lahore on Saturday.

During the meeting, Mr Rashid would deliver a message of peace and good wishes to Vajpayee on behalf of Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali.

The information minister is heading a Pakistan delegation to Saarc information ministers conference being held in New Delhi from Nov 9 to 12.

He will meet Indian prime minister on Nov 11.

Talking to APP on Friday, Mr Rashid said he would extend an invitation to the Indian prime minister to visit Pakistan to attend Saarc summit being held in Islamabad in January 2004.

Mr Rashid said the ministerial meeting would help improve the confidence building measures being taken by both sides. It would also pave the way for easing of the situation for the successful holding of the upcoming Saarc summit.

Earlier, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, commenting on a visit of Minister for Information to India, told journalists at the Parliament House: “He (Sheikh Rashid) is a competent and capable minister to represent Pakistan in an effective manner.”

He was a spokesman for the government and had the skill to project the country’s cause in a forceful manner, the prime minister said.

About the Saarc summit, Mr Jamali said: “We do not want any hurdle in the way of this summit.”—APP