Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Union External Affairs Minister Mr. Salman Khurshid to intensify efforts thereby impressing the National government of Pakistan for opening of another land route through Hussainiwala border, after Attari-Wagha to give much needed impetus to boost the Indo-Pak bilateral trade and cultural ties.In his inaugural address during the 8th South Asian Free Media Conference-2013 organized by SAFMA for the first time in Punjab, the Chief Minister said that it was the need of hour to eliminate all the physical barriers for the promotion of people to people contact to foster goodwill, friendship and amity in the South Asian Region. He said that this could only be achieved by the sincere and concerted efforts of both the national governments of India and Pakistan.
Raising another significant issue of immense emotional importance to link the historic Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan through a direct corridor with Dera Baba Nanak, the Chief Minister requested Mr.Khurshid to resolve this issue on the priority to enable the millions of devotees from India especially the Sikhs to have free access to pay obeisance at their holy shrine of faith associated with Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Mr. Badal also urged the SAFMA to take up this issue with both the Indian and Pakistan governments so that the daily prayers of the Sikhs, who had been wishing to have glimpse of this holy shrine since long could be answered one day.
Lauding the role of SAFMA in setting the agenda of regional cooperation in SAARC countries, Mr. Badal said that media has played a pro-active role as a fourth pillar of democracy and taken lead in initiating the process of social and economic affinity amongst the countries of the region. He also appreciated the efforts of SAFMA in creating a cordial atmosphere especially between India and Pakistan besides doing a great service to millions and millions people of the both sides of the border. Mr. Badal also supported the issue of unrestricted multiple Visa to the media persons for their free movement across Asia and asked the Ministry of External Affairs to concede this long pending demand of media fraternity. He hoped the efforts of SAFMA in promoting an environment of peace understanding an international cooperation would also go a long way in sensitizing the governments by highlighting the issues and problems concerning the people of these nations. He sought cooperation from SAFMA in setting up of South Asian economic and parliamentary union which could lead to the formation of ‘Asian Economic Union’ on the lines of European Economic Union. He said that in this context India and Pakistan could play a leading role as some remarkable progress had already been made in this directions by these two countries by opening the Attari-Wagha border for trade, although the scale of trade there was needed to be increased.
In his opening remarks Union External Affairs Minister Mr. Salman Khurshid said that few bold initiatives had already been taken with the mutual efforts of Indian and Pakistan governments to further strengthen the bilateral ties between these two countries like easing out the visa regime and opening of ICP at Attar-Wagha border but still lot was to be done and hopefully it would be achieved in the near future with our sincere and relentless efforts. He also assured the members of the SAFMA that he would soon take up the matter with his ministry to sort out the issue of multiple Visa to the journalists of SAARC countries. Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the function, Mr. Khurshid answered one of the issue raised by Mr. Badal to link Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib with Dera Baba Nanak through direct corridor and said he would soon take up this issue with Home Ministry so that it could be resolved at the earliest with the intervention of national government of Pakistan.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary General SAFMA Mr. Imitiaz Alam assured the Chief Minister that the SAFMA would build consensus to prevail upon the national governments of India and Pakistan for the opening of second trade route through Hussainiwala and direct corridor from Gurdawara Sri Kartarpur Sahib to Dera Baba Nanak.
On the occasion, the President of Indian Chapter of SAFMA Mr. Vinod Sharma gave a brief account of the activities of SAFMA in the country in general and in creating awareness of ‘Asian Unity’ by organizing a series of media events like conferences and media submits to promote peace, understanding and international cooperation especially amongst the SAARC countries.
Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone of Rs.75 crore District Administrative Complex here in the presence of Cabinet Minister Mr. Anil Joshi and CPS Mr. Inderbir Singh Bularia, to be completed within next two years.
Later, Mr. Khurshid accompanied by the Chief Minister visited Sri Harmandir Sahib and offered prayers there. The Chief Minister presented a ‘Siropa’ rob of honour, hawl, portrait of Sri Darbar Sahib and set of religious books.