LAHORE, Sept 24: A majority of the Indian jurists on a visit here on Friday forced the plea that Pakistan and India should substantially cut their defence budgets to divert additional resources to health , education and other welfare programmes to mitigate miseries of the masses.

Speaking at a reception hosted in their honour by the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the Indian jurists averred that the two countries were obliged to improve the lot of the whole of South Asia where more than 1.25 billion people were living in abject poverty and lacked even the most basic needs of life.

The members of the high-profile Indian Council of Jurists delegation, who have been judges of the Supreme Court, high courts and elected heads of state bar councils, made a fervent appeal for promoting friendship between the two countries and enhancing the present level of relations in political, trade and commerce, cultural and other fields, besides giving boost to the people-to-people contact.

Justice Faizanuddin (retired) of the Indian Supreme Court suggested that the two neighbouring states must think in terms of making adjustments in resolving outstanding issues.

"Let's talk nothing but friendship, peace and improvement of trade for a period of a decade and you will find the path to resolution of conflicts easier than that at present."

He said the India-Pakistan conflict had in the past held the peace and prosperity of the whole south Asian region as hostage. The time had come that all of us shun the past and adopt a forward-looking attitude to transform the entire region into a new culture of peace and prosperity.

Lahore High Court Bar Association President Ahmad Awais reciprocated the emotions of Indian jurists, but also insisted on the solution to the Kashmir problem. The dispute, he said, was as major a human right issue as any other around the world.

He said the two neighbours must forge ahead for a lasting peace, but without leaving disputes unresolved. For this the leadership of both the countries should show courage and political will.

CHIEF JUSTICE: Earlier, Indian jurists called on LHC Chief Justice Iftikhar Husain Chaudhry, witnessed proceedings of cases in some courts and went around the bar. They reportedly shared their experience of judicial activism with Justice Iftikhar.