KARACHI, March 20: A high-level delegation of PPP will be visiting India from March 27 on a week-long goodwill tour which is expected to give a boost to process of confidence building measures (CBMs) between the two countries.

The PPP delegation would be led by Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the party parliamentary leader in the National Assembly, who is also chairman of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

The PPP delegation has been invited by a former Indian legislator Ms Nirmala Desh Panday, the head of an NGO, Association of Peoples of Asia.

Addressing a news conference here on Saturday, deputy coordinator of the PPP think tank, Nafis Siddiqui said the delegation was expected to call on the Indian president, prime minister, leader of the opposition and other government and opposition leaders and discuss with them issues relating to the promotion of peace between the two countries.

The delegation would include Nawab Yusuf Talpur, Ms Fauzia Habib, Senator Anwar Beg, Sardar Assef Ahmed Ali, former foreign minister Chaudhary Manzoor and Nafis Siddiqui.

Mr Siddiqui reiterated the PPP's firm commitment to peace and the promotion of people-to-people contact, and pointed out that one of the most enduring agreements between India and Pakistan - Simla Accord - that was still holding, was signed during the PPP government. The delegation, during interaction with the Indian leadership, intellectuals and businessmen, would explain the party's policy of encouraging people-to-people contacts, sports and cultural exchanges as well as bilateral trade.

He said that PPP chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto, during her recent visit to India, had emphasized that it was important for the people of South Asia to improve relations and cut down expenses on military hardware. She had also called for softening of borders, he said.

He said the PPP supported the moves for peace and welcomed normalization of relations between Pakistan and India. All political and democratic forces in Pakistan favoured peaceful ties with India, he added.

Mr Siddiqui also announced that the PPP had set up a 'think tank' comprising Yusuf Talpur (coordinator) and Nafis Siddiqui (deputy coordintor) for analysing national and international issues and also organizing seminars and conferences.