Cricket visit will help India ties: Pak PM

The cricket diplomacy brings the two political leaders-Monmohan Singh of India and Yusuf Raza Gilani of Pakistan-closer at Mohali play ground in Punjab, India on Wednesday.  AP photo

AFP, Islamabad

 

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said Wednesday his visit to India to watch the World Cup cricket semi-final would help improve relations between the arch rivals.

Gilani accepted an invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh at the weekend to attend the match, which was due to start at 0900 GMT and would result in one of the South Asian giants being knocked out.

“There will be some progress and improvement in relations when we visit India,” Gilani said before leaving for the match venue in India’s northern city of Mohali.

He praised his Indian counterpart and described him as a “seasoned politician” who was committed to regional peace and prosperity.

“Both the countries are committed to improve the overall environment,” he added.

Gilani said he had accepted Singh’s invitation to show solidarity with the Pakistani team. “Our people should now enjoy the cricket and appreciate performance of the two teams.”

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Source: The New Nation - Independent Daily