KARACHI : A Reopening of Indian consulate demanded
KARACHI, March 26: The City Naib Nazim, Tariq Hasan, has suggested that the Indian consulate in Karachi and the Khokhrapar border should be opened so that people who had relatives in India could go to meet them. He said their closure had affected people. He was talking to a 33-member Indian delegation visiting Karachi. The delegation led by Mr Ash Narain Roy of the New Delhi-based Institute of Social Studies (ISS) called on the City Naib Nazim, Tariq Hasan, at his office on the M.A. Jinnah Road on Saturday. The visiting Indian delegation is representing local governments of 18 Indian states. It stayed at the naib nazim’s office for three hours and discussed local government issues.
The delegation comprised representatives from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Mahrashtra, Orissa, Punjab (India), Rajasthan, Sikkum, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgahrh, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
The delegation has been touring Pakistan since March 13, 2005 visiting Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad, Sargodha, Muzafarabad, Jhang, Hyderabad, finally reaching Karachi.
The tour has been arranged by a Pakistani NGO, Pattan Development Organization in collaboration with the ISS.
Mr Hasan said it was the local government system that had made it possible for representatives of the grassroots level of both countries to meet and exchange their views.
“I believed it is just the beginning and it will help a lot to sort out issues. It will foster the peace process between the two countries,” Mr Hasan hoped.
“We have to develop an environment of friendship between the two nations, so that people can move freely across the border to meet their relatives.
He viewed that there should be exchanges of delegations who represent people in local governments. “This person to person contact will certainly bear fruit in the near future, and create a friendly environment, which will also help in solving the core issue of Kashmir,” hoped.
He said people of both countries were living miserable lives. They wanted quality education, health care and a secure future, rather than spending billions of rupees on purchasing ammunition, tanks, and fighter jets
He urged the governments of both nations to accelerate the peace process to benefit the general public.
Referring to the incidents in Gujrat (India), he said the killings of Muslims was very painful for Muslims worldwide especially in Pakistan, but the government here in Karachi and other parts of country had ensured the safety of non-Muslims especially Hindus.
He urged the delegation to ensure that the same level of safety was provided to Muslims in India, so that such incidents do not create hurdles in the way of peace.
He hoped President Pervez Musharraf’s forthcoming visit to India would expedite the peace process.
The city naib nazim apprised the delegation about the devolution plan and the about the Karachi city government’s performance in the last three and half years.
“The civic problems of regional countries are almost same, which calls for adopting a uniform policy to address these issues,” he stressed.
Mr Ash Narain Roy appreciated the warm welcome given to them by Pakistanis, and said such exchanges of delegations should take place on a regular basis.
He emphasized the promotion of democratic trends so that people can be benefited at the grassroots level.
“We are happy that the local government system has been introduced in Pakistan. There will be hurdles in the beginning, but it needs to be strengthened,” he said.
Giving his opening remarks, Program Coordinator Pattan Development Organization, Muhammad Abdul Saboor, said such exchanges would add to the ongoing peace process between the two countries.—PPI
