CM WELCOMES: New visa regime between India and Pakistan

Amritsar, December 15, 2012: Terming the operationalisation of the new visa regime between India and Pakistan as a historic decision, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today emphasised on the need for making ‘more such efforts’ to provide much needed fillip to the trade and commerce between both the countries.

Taking to the media persons on the sidelines of a function at Khalsa College here today, the Chief Minister welcomed the decision as a noble gesture which would play a pivotal role in enhancing mutual goodwill and trust between both the countries. However he said that much more was required to increase people to people contact in the Indian Sub Continent so as to usher an era of unprecedented development and co-operation in the region. He said that the time was ripe when the national governments of both the countries should join their hands for making more such sustainable efforts which would result in promotion of friendship, trust, brotherhood, peace and amity between both the countries.

Laying thrust on the need for increasing trade between both the countries through the land route, the Chief Minister pointed out that Punjab being a land locked state would be immensely benefitted from it. He categorically said that if the trade between India and Pakistan was increased through the land route then it would immensely benefit the farmers and traders of both the countries by opening new avenues from them thereby resulting in heralding an era of unprecedented economic prosperity for them. He also said that the Government of India should also make concerted efforts for opening the trade avenues with the countries of Central Asia through the land route so that people of Punjab could be benefitted from it.

Replying to another query the Chief Minister said that the state government was fully sensitised to check the crime against women in the state adding that he had asked the Principal Secretary Home DS Bains and Advocate General Ashok Aggarwal to explore the possibility of amending the existing provisions of punishment in such cases so as to make them more harsher. He reiterated that the necessary amendments would be incorporated in the existing laws so that exemplary and strict punishment could be ensured to the culprits involved in crime against women in the state. He said that after getting the recommendations from this committee the state government would take the necessary steps to tackle this crime in an effective manner.

Later on the Chief Minister also paid obeisance at the Sanctum Sanctorum in Sri Harimandir Sahib.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Amarpal Singh Bonny, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Home DS Bains, President of  Khalsa College Governing Council Satyajeet Singh Majithia and Advocate General Punjab Ashok Aggarwal besides several leaders of the SAD-BJP alliance.