Indian External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh has said that Karachi would serve as a stronger commercial and economic link between India and Pakistan after the opening of Khokrapar-Munabao land route.
He was speaking at a dinner hosted in his honour by Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Rahim at Chief Minister House here on Tuesday. Provincial ministers, Indian Foreign Secretary Sham Saran, diplomats and dignitaries attended the dinner.
Recalling the memories of his stay in Karachi, its nostalgia and affection, the Indian foreign minister called it as one of the greatest cities of sub-continent.
"Its history has been associated with South Asia for past several centuries," Natwar Singh said. "I am delighted to visit the metropolis after a lapse of 23 years," he noted.
He said that City of Karachi was greatly placed to play a historic role in the normalisation of Indo-Pak relations. Natwar said Karachi was poised to become the centre in the region as Pakistan was emerging as the hub between south and South East Asia on the one hand and Central Asia and the Gulf on the other.