Pak Punjab Governor vouches for better ties with India

The governor of Pakistan's Punjab province, Mohammad Sarwar, who is on a visit to the Indian side of Punjab, believes that relations between Pakistan and India can improve, and also said that Muslims are the most affected by terrorism.

On Tuesday,Sarwar visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, and after that told mediapersons that it is high time for India and Pakistan to work together for the welfare of the people of both countries.

"Our biggest enemies are illiteracy, ignorance and poverty. We have to build our infrastructure, health facilities; poor people are not able to afford health facilities for their children. I feel that now we should do away with hard feelings for each other and work towards the betterment of our countries," said Sarwar.

He also advised India to forget the Kargil War of 1999 and to move on for a better future together.

While evading a direct answer on the security of minorities in Pakistan, and also about two Sikhs abducted there, Sarwar said Muslims are the most affected by terrorism.

"The international community must understand that our issues are very deep-rooted. Terrorism is not just targeting minority community. In fact, 99 percent of the 50,000 people who have lost their lives to terrorism are Muslims," he added.

Sarwar also said that the issue of drug dealing and smuggling, which has become a major issue for both countries, can be eliminated, but not eradicated completely.

He quipped that even developed continents like Europe, with high security, have not been spared from it.

The two nuclear-armed countries have fought two wars over Kashmir but had sought to ease access and commerce in a region at the heart of more than 60 years of hostility. India has accused Pakistan of supporting militants fighting security forces in Indian Kashmir since 1989.

Pakistan denies arming or training militants, but says it offers moral support to the Muslim people of Kashmir who it says face rights abuses by Indian forces.