Pakistan business delegation arrives in India

A 50-member delegation of Pakistani traders and businessmen arrived in India on Friday, crossing the Wagah border with great optimism that close ties between the two business communities would encourage politicians to resolve all the issues in a peaceful manner.

"We are here on a business mission.... we have brought love, affection and harmony for the people of India," Ilyas Ahmed Bilour, president of the India-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and leader of the delegation, told reporters on their arrival in Wagah.

The delegation is part of the 115-member team, which would interact with their counterparts over the next few days in the country, he said.

"We are optimistic of a peaceful resolution of all the issues between India and Pakistan in the wake of the positive and strong statements by the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan Premier Mir Zafarrullah Khan Jamali in the recent past," Bilour said.

Miyan Habib Ullah, former minister of state and chairman of the Exports Promotion Bureau, Pakistan, said once the business sides are close to each other, political leaders would also come close.

"I am a textiles man. If I am allowed to import machinery, I will do it from India instead of buying it from China and Japan. This will save our time and money," Ullah said.