Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday said that it was possible for India and Pakistan to come to a meaningful agreement on the issues of Siachen, Sir Creek and Baglihar.
In his address, while flagging of Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service in Amritsar, the Prime Minister said he was ready to discuss pragmatic solutions to Kashmir dispute. The Prime Minister further said, "(President) Pervez Musharraf and I agree that peace is the only option." More Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) would open road ahead with Pakistan, he added.
Time has come to leave behind the animosities and the misgivings of the past, Singh said, adding, "step by step we can diminish differences." Both sides should move ahead to tackle the menace of poverty, he expressed.
"I am convinced we can move forward, if all concerned are willing to accept the ground realities and if all concerned take a long view of history and our destiny," he observed.
He complimented President Pervez Musharraf for taking "bold steps" to check extremism.
Indian Prime Minister, who delivered his speech in Punjabi, spelt out his vision on peace process between the two countries.
Elaborating his vision, Manmohan Singh said the peace making process must ultimately culminate " in our two countries entering into a Treaty of Peace, Security and Friendship to give meaning and substance to our quest for shared goals." Underlining the importance for adopting step-by-step approach to Kashmir issue giving the "inherent difficulties" involved in finding practical solutions, he proposed that both sides should begin a dialogue with the people in their areas of control to improve the quality of governance.
This, he said would give the people on both sides a greater chance of leading a life of dignity and self-respect. People on both sides of Line of Control should be able to move more freely and trade with one another.
The Prime Minister said, "we must encourage people-to-people contacts between actors in civil society, between academics, businessmen, artistes and most importantly, the common people."
He further said it was through such contacts that the two countries could explore a vision for a "co-operative common future" where peace prevails, where relations are friendly, where our citizens rejoice in the well-being of the other country". The Prime Minister said he envisaged a situation where the two parts of Kashmir could, with the active encouragement of the governments of India and Pakistan, work out co-operative, consultative mechanisms so as to maximise the gains of co-operation in solving problems of social and economic development of the region.
"The vision that guides us is that the destinies of our peoples are inter-linked. That our two countries must therefore devise effective co-operative strategies to give concrete shape and meaning to this shared vision", he expressed.
The Prime Minister further said, "India sincerely believes that a strong, stable, prosperous and moderate Pakistan is in the interest of India and entire South Asia. We are sincerely committed to the prosperity, unity, development and well-being of Pakistan," he added.
Dr Singh spoke at length on the economic dividends for both countries from the normalisation of relations. He was of the view that there were many things that the two Punjab's could learn from each others' development experience.
He said India and Pakistan must work together to open up new opportunities of economic co-operation, not only in South Asia but also with West Asia and Central Asia. Cities like Lahore and Amritsar should once again become throbbing international commercial centres serving the entire region.
Later, the Prime Minister flagged out the bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib, the birth place of the founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev, expressing the road link had opened "new chapter" between the two countries.
The Prime Minister launched the inaugural bus service, carrying 40 passengers shortly before noon amidst cheering by hundreds of people who had assembled on occasion. "I am extremely happy to be here in Amritsar on this very important occasion of the launch of a regular bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib.
"This is indeed a memorable day for Punjab. In many ways, it is a historic day for both India and Pakistan", flanked by his wife Gursharan Kaur and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, the Prime Minister said on the occasion.
The first Amritsar bus bound for Nankana Sahib with 42 people on board crossed into Pakistan on Friday to kick-start a regular service between the two cities of Pakistan and India. Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ejazul Haq, Punjab Tourism Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal, Transport Minister Rana Shamshad and Lahore District Nazim Mian Amir Mehmood received the Indian bus at Wagah. Hundreds of school children carrying Pakistani and Indian flags were also present to welcome the passengers.
Twenty official delegates led by Indian Punjab Transport Minister Mohindar Singh K.P. were also among the 42 passengers, while Education Minister Dr Raj Kumar, Transport Secretary A.R. Talwar Singh, Lieutenant General Kammal Jeet Singh (Retd) and Raj Kumar Sharma, principal, MGN College Gordaspur, were also among the prominent people. Eminent people from six districts - Amritsar, Gordaspur, Jalandhar, Ferozpur, Ludhyana and Kapur Thalla - also came with the first regular bus.
Ejazul Haq while receiving the delegates said, "I, along with other ministers and district nazim, have come to welcome you all on behalf of our president, prime minister and the Punjab chief minister."
Later talking to newsmen, he said the new bus service would further foster people-to-people bonhomie between the two Punjab's, which would definitely improve relations between both the countries.
"We will try to ensure maximum facilities to the visitors as they come here with religious zeal and in this connection two 4-star hotels one each at Nankana Sahib and Hassanabdal (Punja Sahib) will be constructed and their groundbreaking ceremony will be held in June or July this year," he said.
He said that both the sides are also considering to start Amritsar-Hassanabdal bus service.
The government is also developing historical places of other religions such as Buddhism at Swat, Mardan and Taxila to attract more foreign tourists to Pakistan, he added. To a question, Ejaz said, efforts are afoot for softening visa policy between Pakistan and India as well as setting up visa Consulate in Lahore and Amritsar.
Mohindar Singh said, "Our prime minister, provincial chief minister and cabinet saw us off at Amritsar and we are here with a message of enhanced friendship." He said Indian people were very happy because they would have great opportunity to visit freely and frequently their adoration places in Pakistan.
The Lahore District Nazim said since Pakistan and India open dialogue, Pakistan has taken a number of steps to enhance ties between the two countries and the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service is also another step in this direction, he added. The passengers will stay at Gurdwara Janam Asthan overnight and leave for Amritsar on Saturday. The first bus from Pakistani side will leave for Amritsar on March 28.
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