Basit invites Mamata to Pakistan

Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit on Wednesday invited West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Pakistan and said she "readily agreed" to student exchange programmes between her state and Pakistan.

On his maiden visit to the city, Basit along with his wife and other officials met Banerjee at the state secretariat where he discussed ways to develop economic ties between Bengal and Pakistani provinces.

"We need to focus on our youth and try to have as many student exchanges as possible. This is what I told her. She readily agreed to that idea and now we will try to send students," Basit said at an interactive session at the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies here.

He described the meeting as a "dream come true".

"To have met her was a dream come true for me. I have invited her to visit Pakistan, hope she will visit soon," Basit said after the meeting.

The diplomat said he submitted some proposals to the chief minister for building economic relations between his country and Bengal.

"I would like West Bengal to explore opportunities for economic cooperation. Let's say, between (Pakistani provinces) Sindh, Punjab, or Baluchistan or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," Basit had said on Tuesday during an event here.

Uploading a photo of the meeting, Banerjee said on Facebook: "We had very fruitful discussions. He invited me to visit Pakistan."