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First delegation of Pakistani Hindus in 8 years arrives in India
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-04-22 13:55
The first delegation of Pakistani Hindus to visit India in eight years
arrived in Wagah of India to visit temples and pray for the success of
the ongoing India-Pakistan peace process which paved the way for their visit.
Members of delegation of nearly 200 Hindus, which arrived aboard the
Samjhauta Express train, said Thursday they were also looking forward to family
reunions.
The first delegation of Pakistani Hindus to
visit India in eight years has arrived.
[AFP] | "We have numerous relatives in India and were longing to see each other for
the last several years. We will all pray to God for the better relations between
India and Pakistan to continue," said Karori Mal.
Such visits were quite frequent until 1997 but the 1998 tit-for-tat nuclear
blasts by India and Pakistan led to a gradual souring of relations and both were
reluctant to issue visas to each other's nationals.
Mal said most of the members of the delegation had come to India to attend
the 45th death anniversary of Hindu saint Raja Ram Sahib as well as visit
temples in pilgrimage towns.
India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two over Kashmir, since Britain
partitioned the subcontinent in 1947 and came close to another in 2002 following
an attack on India's parliament by suspected Pakistan-backed militants.
However, relations between the two South Asian nuclear-armed rivals have
warmed since a peace initiative was launched by former Indian prime minister
Atal Behari Vajpayee two years ago.
On Thursday, bus passengers from the Indian and Pakistani zones of Kashmir
crossed the heavily-militarised ceasefire line for the second time in almost 60
years despite threats by militants.
The first batch of passengers crossed on April 7 after India and Pakistan
agreed to resume the bus service between the two divided
zones.
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