Chief Minister of Indian Punjab Captain Amrindar Singh expressed these views while talking to journalists after his arrival at Wagah border on a two-day visit to Pakistan on Tuesday.
Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi with other government officials received the Indian Punjab CM and his 60-member delegation. Provincial Minister Indian Punjab for Local Bodies Jagjeet Singh, Minister for PWD Partab Singh Bajwa, Minister for Irrigation Professor Lal Singh, Minister for Forests Hans Raj Joshi, Minister for Transport Mohinder Singh, Minister for Tourism Jagmohan Singh Kang, Parliamentary Secretary Perkash Singh, Parliamentary Secretary Sukhwindar Singh Randhawa and MLA Randeep Singh Nabha were included in the delegation.
The Indian Punjab Chief Minister said: "The people of Indian Punjab were grieved by the deaths and destruction in Muzaffarabad and other areas and fully share the sufferings of calamity-stricken people. We were in favour of opening more entry points at Line of Control but the Prime Ministers of both the countries would decide such matters. I would again visit Lahore to participate in the joint Punjab Games to be held in February".
According to him, Vice Chancellors of Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana and Faisalabad Agriculture University would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which combine research in agri sector would be promoted. He was very pleased to visit Pakistani Punjab and also has fond memories of his earlier visit to Lahore.
The delegation from Indian Punjab has also brought a sacred "Palki Sahib" and the President of Delhi Gurdwara Management Committee; Param Jeet Singh Sarna has also accompanied the delegation.
Captain Amrindar Singh said that during his visit they would also discuss to further improve sports, cultural and economic relations between Indian and Pakistani Punjabs, and ultimately between India and Pakistan. "We have come to Pakistan with the message of love, friendship and goodwill".
He termed the launching of bus service between the two countries a big leap towards improving existing bilateral relations.
The Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi said that the journey of friendship started by him and Captain Amrindar Singh for the development and betterment of peoples of both sides of Punjab has started yielding positive results.
Amritsar to Nankana bus service would soon be launched, which would further improve bilateral relations between the two countries.
According to him, due to increasing contacts between Pakistan and India, bilateral relations were improving and this process of friendship would continue. The government was providing all out facilities to Sikhs at Nankana Sahib and a modern hospital was being constructed in the city for the provision of health facilities to the visitors.
A dual carriageway was being constructed from Wagah to Nankana Sahib for the convenience of Sikh yatrees. Besides, a number of development projects were being executed in Nankana city for providing better facilities to Sikh yatrees during their visit to their sacred places.
In response to a question, the Chief Minister said that borders would remain intact. He said that language and culture of Arab countries was the same while European Union has similar currency and culture but they have separate identity. He said that geographical division would leave no negative impact on our journey of friendship.
The Indian delegation was received at Wagah border by Speaker Punjab Assembly Muhammad Afzal Sahi, Provincial Ministers, Muhammad Basharat Raja, Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, Arshad Khan Lodhi, Qudsia Lodhi, Mian Imran Masood, Chaudhry Zaheer-ud-Din Khan, Rana Shamshad Ahmed Khan, Ajmal Cheema, Rana Qasim Noon, Chief Secretary Punjab Salman Siddique, Chairman Evacuee Property Board, Lieutenant General Zulfiqar Ali Khan (Retd), Inspector General Punjab Police Zia-ul-Hassan Khan, President Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Sardar Mastan Singh, Sardar Manmohan Singh Khalsa besides senior officials.
Meanwhile, Amrindar Singh would install 15-kg gold plated 'Palki' (ceremonial chair) at Baba Gurunanak Dev Ji's birthplace at Nankana Sahib tomorrow. As many as 1,400 Indian Sikh yatrees would also accompany him, and would stay two days at Nankana Sahib, Kartarpur, two days at Panja Sahib and two days at Dera Sahib and Aimanabad. The yatrees would return home on December 6 via Wagah.