NEW DELHI, Dec 4: A Muttahida Qaumi Movement parliamentary delegation arrived here on Monday seeking "to reinforce the irreversible peace process" between India and Pakistan.
Dr Farooq Sattar, leader of the MQM's parliamentary party in the National Assembly, is heading the six-member delegation on the invitation of the Indian government.
In a meeting with the media, Dr Sattar fielded questions that ranged from the issue of President Gen Pervez Musharraf's election gambit as the army chief, the fear of what the MQM thinks is a dangerously polarised political situation within the country over the issue, to the steadily improving ties with India.
While no details were available of the delegation's discussions with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee later on Monday, Dr Sattar said they would try to expedite the opening of the consulates in Mumbai and Karachi, restore rail links between Sindh and Rajasthan that were disrupted by the monsoons and explore the potential for the Karachi-Mumbai ferry service.
"Other third world countries are reaping the fruits of peace, stability, progress and development. There is no other alternative for India and Pakistan but to explore an economic bloc," Dr. Sattar said.
He said the dialogue between two countries encompasses all outstanding issues but it had to be "durable, sustainable and ifpossible the pace can also be enhanced."
He described the debate over Gen Musharraf's uniform issue as a complicated matter. For one it had dangerously divided the country in two opposite camps. He counselled that all political parties that swear by parliamentary democracy should sit together with the government to thrash out the matter.
He said that rather than seeking power in the short-term, democratic parties should look to removing the threat in the long-term of army's periodic intervention.
