'Social media can remove distrust between India and Pakistan'

Their feedback came on the final day of an 'Social Media Conference' organised here jointly with the US consulates in Lahore and Karachi.

Speaking at the conference, US Consul General William Martin said social media sites like Twitter and Facebook were already playing a big role in making people in both countries understand the true picture while bridging the gap around the world between different nationalities.

India and Pakistan could also improve relations by opening up student exchange programmes, he said.

"This conference has highlighted the need to ease the travel restrictions in both countries for the common people who want to visit," Beena Sarwar, a well-known Pakistani journalist and activist, said.

"The funny thing is India and Pakistan are the only two South Asian neighbours where a visit visa does not exist and one cannot enter as a tourist," she said.

Indian journalist Barkha Dutt told the conference that technology has helped reduce the boundaries and bridge the trust deficit between the nationals of the two countries.

Meanwhile, a delegation from the Mumbai Chamber of Commerce taking part in the three-day "Humara Karachi" trade fair organised by the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry also called for regular exchanges at the trade, sports and cultural levels.