05 November 2004	Friday	21 Ramazan 1425

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KARACHI, Nov 4: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain on Thursday offered to play a role in improving relations between Pakistan and India and called for a meaningful partnership between the two neighbours.

Speaking to newsmen at London's Heathrow airport on Wednesday night before leaving for New Delhi to attend a conference on 'India and World' organized by The Hindustan Times, he said that during his stay in India he would present a proposal on Kashmir which would be acceptable to the peoples of both India and Pakistan, and also to the Kashmiris on both sides of the fence.

According to a press release issued here on Thursday, the MQM chief called for expeditious development in improvement of relations between India and Pakistan, including a meaningful partnership, and cooperation in economic and social sectors and trade enhancement.

He repeated his call for opening the Khokhrapar and Srinagar routes to facilitate movement and free mixing of people of the subcontinent. He also called for the reopening of the Indian consulate in Karachi for issuing visas to members of divided families who lived in large numbers in Sindh. He appealed to the people to pray for the success of his mission which would include a proposal for solving the Kashmir issue and for the improvement of ties between India and Pakistan.

Mr Hussain was accompanied by the MQM parliamentary leader, Dr Farooq Sattar, Rabita Committee member Haider Rizvi and Abdul Khaliq Baloch, Nisar Panhwar and Devdas.

Our correspondent in New Delhi adds: Mr Hussain arrived in New Delhi on Thursday to attend a conference and to promote the peace process between India and Pakistan.

Mr Hussain, who lives in self-exile in London, arrived aboard an Air India flight at the invitation ofThe Hindustan Times, the host of the conference. His followers from India and Pakistan who received him, showered him with flowers.

During his stay in the country, Mr Hussain would visit the shrines of Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia in Delhi and Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer.

Mr Hussain had received a similar invitation last year from the same newspaper but could not attend it due to 'unavoidable reasons'.

MQM officials said Mr Hussain's plan to visit India had been discussed with President Gen Pervez Musharraf. They expect the visit to play a significant role in the ongoing peace efforts between the two countries.

Mr Hussain would effectively highlight Pakistan's viewpoint before the Indian interlocutors, one MQM official told Dawn.