02 February 2004	Monday	10 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Feb 1: Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and his Indian Punjab counterpart Capt Amrinder Singh said they would work to develop mutual relations in the fields of agriculture, art and culture, sports and education.

They were speaking at a joint press conference at the conclusion of Capt Amrinder's first ever three-day official visit to Lahore here at the State Guest House.

Chaudhry Pervaiz said the visit was conducted in an atmosphere of rapprochement created after the meeting of President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Vajpayee. There were positive developments with the beginning of a composite dialogue on all issues including that of Kashmir, he said.

He said those who talked about elimination of borders between the two countries were overwhelmed by emotion. "We should not move backward, and keep only the future in mind. We can defeat our common enemies like poverty and illiteracy while operating within our own borders."

Mr Singh and the rest of delegation which included three ministers, were later accorded a warm send-off by Mr Pervaiz, members of his cabinet and senior government officials at Wagah.

At the State Guest House, Mr Pervaiz gifted a silver-grey horse to Mr Singh, who belongs to the ruling family of the former Patiala state. Replying to a question at the press conference on whether Indian leaders like Mr Advani would accept his peace initiative, Mr Singh said a majority of Indians wanted peace with Pakistan because it was in their country's interest. "We have visited Lahore on a Punjab-to-Punjab basis with the hope that this visit would facilitate the peace process between Pakistan and India. Every Indian leader wants peace with Pakistan and there is no need to name any individual."

Responding to a question on Kashmir, Mr Singh said bilateral issues would have to be discussed by the two governments. "I brought love here. I am returning home with affection. Everyone wants brotherly relations with you. SAARC, too, is moving towards this end. But it is not possible for me to open the border right away. We will slowly move towards this goal."

Replying to a question on the status of his peace move at a time when India was fencing the border, he said he wished that it would be opened. "But, I want to move ahead step by step, beginning the process with my visit."

Mr Singh said no Khalistan movement ever existed in his province. People using the nomenclature were grabbing properties and extorting money and the movement had no ideological basis.

He denied that his government had wrongfully detained hundreds of Sikhs. Some people who broke the law were convicted by courts, but this was another matter.

Mr Singh said the minorities in India were enjoying full protection. India had secular credentials. It had been a secular country in the past and would remain so in future, he said, explaining that Sikhs formed a majority only in Punjab but they were also flourishing in other states where they were a minority.

Earlier, he said the overall objective of his visit was to promote friendship with the Punjabis living in Pakistan. The British rulers had divided them in 1947, but no border could erase the centuries old love between them, he said.

Mr Singh said he had carried here feelings that good relations between the two Punjabs would prove beneficial for the people. "We have a common heritage and traditions which can be promoted through exchange of cultural activities."

He emphasized the need for exchanging delegations of students between the two provinces because, he said, childhood friendship always lasted long. Mr Singh said he would also launch a Punjabi institute in Patiala after the one being established in Lahore for promotion of the language and culture of the province. Joint sports competitions would also promote good relations, he said.

He said he would take up the issues of holding joint sports events, exchanging parliamentarians' visits and interaction in agriculture research with his federal government. "I thank Mr Pervaiz for his hospitality. We had come here to see this part of our Punjab, a desire which is also shared by our young generation."

He said he was overwhelmed by love expressed by the people of Lahore, hoping that the rest of Pakistan shared similar feelings. "We will fully assist those who may be sent by Mr Pervaiz for examining our research in agriculture. I have invited Mr Pervaiz, Governor Khalid Maqbool and Speaker Afzal Sahi to visit us."

Mr Pervaiz said the visits were leaving a positive impact on mutual relations. Mr Singh's visit was especially beneficial in this connection. Rain on the occasion, which benefited wheat growers on both sides, bore a testimony to this.

He said the two countries could learn a lot from each other. They must use their energies for fighting against the problems being faced by their peoples.Mr Pervaiz said his Punjab could learn a lot from the Ludhiana agriculture university and research centre for growing good sugarcane and wheat. "We can also share our experience in the field of education."

He welcomed the arrival of Indian Olympic Association officials and said he and Mr Singh had decided to hold sports competitions between the teams of two Punjabs as this would bring their peoples closer. "I would talk with the federal government on the issue."

Mr Pervaiz mentioned the World Punjabi Conference and said his government would benefit from the promotion of Punjabi language in the East Punjab. "The Punjabi language would help remove misunderstandings between us."

Before his departure, Mr Singh visited the birthplace of the founder of Sikh religion in Nankana Sahib and the shrine of Mian Mir and attended a lunch given by Lahore Nazim Mian Amer Mehmood. He also held two informal meetings with Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, one at the State Guest House and another at Wagah.