LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan and India have to come forward in economic, trade, industry and agriculture sectors and there is a need to promote mutual trade between the two countries.
Talking to a high-level delegation of Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry during a meeting, here Friday, he said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was also desirous of better relations with India. He believed that exchange of trade delegations could promote economic contacts between the two countries.  The delegation comprised Senior Vice President of FICCI Dr. Jyotsna Suri, President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vikramjit Singh and others. Trade Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, Indian High Commissioner Dr TCA Raghavan, Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Bagley, Consular Indian High Commission Rajesh Kumar Agnihotri, Provincial Education Minister Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, Minister for Industry Muhammad Shafique, Federal Trade Secretary and senior federal and provincial officers were present on the occasion.
Talking to the Indian delegation, Shahbaz Sharif said that Pakistan and India should resolve their disputes through sincere dialogue in the interest of progress and development and a durable peace in the region. He said that wars had given nothing but problems and devastation to the two countries, aggravated difficulties and sufferings of their peoples besides creating issues like poverty and unemployment.
Shahbaz said that India and Pakistan should learn from history and look towards future. Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan Dr TCA Raghavan said that there was a need to promote trade between India and Pakistan. He said that there were vast opportunities of promotion of tourist industry in Punjab. He said that Shahbaz Sharif has provided an excellent infrastructure in Lahore and surprised everyone by giving a splendid project like metro bus. Senior Vice President of FICCI Dr. Jyotsna Suri said that mutual trade could help strengthen social and economic relationship between India and Pakistan and Pakistani businessmen could benefit from a big Indian market.
Trade Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said that serious efforts were being made for cementing trade relations between India and Pakistan and Made in India exhibition has been arranged in Lahore.
The members of the Indian delegation and participants of the meeting gave proposals for the promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations between India and Pakistan.