‘Purpose of Chandigarh visit was to build bridges’
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NEW DELHI: The Gurdaspur terrorist attack near India’s border with Pakistan prompted the chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab to cancel meetings in Chandigarh with Pakistan’s High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Wednesday.
“It is unfortunate that the High Commissioner had to cancel his visit to Chandigarh as the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana called off High Commissioner’s calls on them,” a source at the high commission said.
“Moreover, the MEA (Indian foreign ministry) also conveyed its approval at around 3pm today and that too without approval for his accompanying officers. This is most regrettable.”
Take a look: Abdul Basit cancels trip to Indian city following attack
Besides calls on the chief ministers, Mr Basit was to give a talk at the centre for rural and industrial development, address students at the Punjab University, interact with chambers of commerce, press club and visit schools.
“The purpose of the visit was to build bridges and enhance mutual understanding. We are grateful to all those in Chandigarh for agreeing to host the High Commissioner. We hope he will have an opportunity to visit their beautiful city in the near future,” the source said.
Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2015
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Comments (28) Closed
Jul 30, 2015 06:47am
Wow! The High Commissioner finds it sad that he had to cancel his visit. How about being sad for the people who died as a result of the terrorist attack? Why is it that terrorist attacks and peace attempts go hand in hand?
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Jul 30, 2015 06:58am
Come 'on what bridges are you building? these people have no interest in that. So stop being a good guy.
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Jul 30, 2015 06:59am
Yea right...everyone will believe it. Keep repeating it!
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Jul 30, 2015 07:53am
Very noble man and does all activities with peaceful intention only.
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Jul 30, 2015 08:07am
Mr. Basit should be garlanded for his vision and actions bringing peace to the region.He's leaving no stone unturned for bringing two countries together. Good luck Sir.
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Jul 30, 2015 08:47am
Vested interests of the leaders. How long prestige of the country be put at stake for their business ventures?
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Jul 30, 2015 08:47am
When there is an attack and the sources are already pointing towards a certain location, the CMs of those states obviously cancel the visit. What is wrong with that?
Moreover building bridges can also be done at a more prudent time and not at the time of attack.
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Jul 30, 2015 08:47am
@haider rehman Where does all the nobility go we asked to bring the perpetrators of Bombay to justice.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:17am
misguiding.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:18am
Really....and the bridge must be thru Gurdaspur Sir!!!!
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Jul 30, 2015 09:19am
You can not build bridges alone. It takes two to Tango. Indians are not interested in building bridges so stop chasing them.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:20am
Sir, Please first help Pakistanis , who are dying in floods, dams need to be built and fast , India can take care of itself.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:28am
We need more such people in India and Pakistan to build dams and bridges, lot of people are dying while crossing rivers and due to floods.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:29am
While it has not been proven that the Gurdaspur terrorist attack was carried
out by state or non-state elements from Pakistan the doubts have not been
removed from the minds of the public given that
a) The area is very close to the border and neighbour of Jammu
b) the attackers were not hindus or sikhs (circumcision )
c) 2 CCTV cameras from shops and other places have shown the
3 terrorists looking like people from the border areas near
Gurdaspur.
d) The GPS device found showed that they started somewhere
near the Ravi river.
All this does not create a great atmosphere to indulge in any
talks. Mature Pakistanis must contemplate on why these kinds
of incidents happen whenever the Pakistan civilian Govt starts
any peace initiative with Indian political leaders. Someone must
want to show who is the boss everytime.
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Jul 30, 2015 09:39am
Noble cause
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Jul 30, 2015 09:47am
Already bridge built at Dinanagar town, Mr.High Commissioner.
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Jul 30, 2015 10:00am
@Zak Brother here Build Bridges means not pols & Bridge for transportation. here it meaning of common understanding, communications & mutual relation between us.
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Jul 30, 2015 10:06am
It is so unfortunate that majority of people of India and Pakistan want to have good friendly relations. However, when groups who do not want such relationships (hostiles) try to damage the efforts by certain incidents, all the people in both countries fall to their tactics and start blaming each other. We cannot move on until we learn not to be controlled by the hostile groups.
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Jul 30, 2015 10:10am
By building bridges he means connecting and communication with people of india, not building actual bridges.
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Jul 30, 2015 10:22am
Bridges indeed !
Why don't India & Pakistan downgrade their missions to consular level ?
The ' bridges' High Commissioners build lead to nowhere.
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Jul 30, 2015 10:36am
@tamil OMG ..... what a pity..... many of you are quite intelligent, what happened to you ???
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Jul 30, 2015 10:47am
Bridge between heart to heart good thinking, we have no choice otherwise. Ask those people who migrated from one part to another part and want to see their native towns in life time, now going through old ages.
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Jul 30, 2015 11:21am
The news of interaction by High Commissioner Abdul Basit gets reported in media only if cancellation of event happens. Earlier because of cancellation of foreign secretary level talks we learnt he had invited separatists just prior to talks, now because of Gurdaspur terror attack, we learn he was to visit Chandigarh for two days.
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Jul 30, 2015 11:36am
@dragon He is a pakistani not tamil.
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Jul 30, 2015 12:24pm
Mr. Basit, Please concentrate on flood affected in Pakistan and IDP/TDP's , stop worrying about India, Pakistan is in this state because we concentrate more on India than working for better Pakistan .
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Jul 30, 2015 12:26pm
Where did Pakistan get the funds to build bridges in India, why can't we utilize the same and build it in Pakistan ?
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Jul 30, 2015 12:29pm
We should ensure relations are better between majority and minorities in Pakistan their is division and hatred based on religion and sectarian lines, we should not overstretch our resources, if we are successful in making a better Pakistan that is peaceful, industrious and prosperous, our relationship with neighbors automatically get better , let their be no doubt about it.
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Jul 30, 2015 12:50pm
@dragon Not all are made equal.
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