15 October 2004	Friday	29 Shaban 1425

LAHORE, Oct 14: Former Indian Prime Minister IK Gujral arrived here on Thursday to attend a two-day meeting of the South Asians for Human Rights (SAHR).

Gujral who is also the association chairman was received at the airport by Indian High Commissioner Shiv Shankar Menon and former HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir. Ms Asma is also the co-chairperson of the association.

"I am very happy to be here in Lahore where I studied for eight years (before partition). I have an old relationship with this city," he said while talking to reporters. He expressed his happiness over the peace process between Pakistan and India. "May God give them wisdom," he said when asked whether both the countries were really serious in peace.

Answering a question about the settlement of the Kashmir dispute, he said the River Jhelum belonged to both the countries. Gujral was scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by the Indian high commissioner where he was staying.

Besides attending the two-day meeting of the SAHR, he is also scheduled to address the Lahore High Court Bar Association and attend Meet-the-Press Programme of the Lahore Press Club on Friday.

On Saturday, he is scheduled to speak at the Quaid-i-Azam Law College and attend a function of the English Speaking Union besides attending a dinner at the Gowalmandi Food Street.

He is also expected to hold a meeting with Foreign Minister Khursheed Mahmood Kasuri before leaving for India via Wagah on Sunday. The SAHR meeting will be attended by its members from Saarc countries, including Dr Ravindra Raj Pandey and Kuldip Nayar (India), Balakrishna (Sri Lanka), Ms Sohatra Chaudhry (Bangladesh), HRCP Director IA Rehman, Justice Fakharuddin G Ibrahim (retired) and Cecil Chaudhry (Pakistan).