LARKANA, April 26: A 40-member team of Indian street-children arrived here on a two-day visit on Monday. Various Larkana-based NGOs arranged a reception in honour of the team , which was attended among others by the district nazim and the district coordination officer.

Speaking on the occasion, the district nazim said that such visits were necessary for strengthening relations between Pakistan and India. It was time both countries buried differences and improved their relationship, he added.

The team leader, Rakesh, said that a cut of just three per cent in the defence budgets by both countries could enable 65,000,000 children to acquire education. Terming Pakistan a land of love and peace, he said in India around 25,000,000 children slept on footpaths and were involved in child labour. He called for abolishing the "visa system" between the two countries.

Team members Oam Prkash and Shird said that they had been welcomed with open arms at the Wagah border. They added that they would carry the message of love to their country from Pakistan.

DCO Dr Badaruddain Ujjan and others also spoke on the occasion. The team also visited Mohenjodaro. It went round the old city and its museum. The team will play a friendly cricket match at Municipal Stadium on Tuesday.

JIRGA: The secretary general of the Amnesty International, Pakistan chapter, Iqbal Detho has welcomed the Sindh High Court's ban on all trials under the Jirga system in Sindh. Talking to this correspondent on Sunday, he called upon the rulers to strengthen the judiciary so that backlog of cases could be cleared.