Pak opposition leaders meet Vajpayee

(L to R) Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Pakistani Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga take part in a retreat at Jamali's house during the 12th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Islamabad yesterday. Saarc heads of state and government joined the retreat for informal talks after a ground-breaking bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf which has generated a wave of optimism, raising hopes for peace and economic progress in the region. PHOTO: AFP

A delegation of Pakistan Peoples Party leaders led by Vice Chairman Makhdoom Fahim met Vajpayee at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commissioner for the Prime Minister on Sunday night.

Handing over flowers sent by party leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to Vajpayee, Fahim said the PPP appreciated the Indian leader for his initiative to bring peace to the region.

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The initiative and political standing of Vajpayee offered a hope for peace in the region, he said.

At the reception, member of the National Assembly Ramesh Lal presented a memorandum to Vajpayee asking him to offer more visa facilities for Pakistani Hindus to visit India.

A Muttahida Majlis Amal delegation led by Jamat Ulema Islami-F (JUIF)) leader Fazlur Rehman held a 10-minute long meeting with Vajpayee and felicitated him for his peace initiative to reduce tension between the two countries.

During the meeting, Rehman "praised the confidence-building measures announced by India and Pakistan to normalise the situation between the two countries," JUI-F sources said.

The JUI(F) leader welcomed Vajpayee's participation in the summit and urged for talks to resolve contentious issues, including Kashmir.

Vajpayee briefed the delegation about the ongoing initiative between both the countries to normalise ties, MMA leader Khurshid Ahmad told reporters after the meeting.

AFP adds: South Asian leaders went on retreat here yesterday to hold informal talks amid a summit aimed at ridding the region of poverty, terrorism and trade barriers.

The 12th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional cooperation (Saarc) which opened on Sunday will finalise an "Islamabad declaration" at its final session today.

"It is a sort of excursion trip," a foreign ministry official said, asking not to be named.

"They will speak frankly on the agenda in a very informal way, without the pressure that the formal meetings usually carry."