Lahore is heaven on earth, says Meira Kumar

LAHORE: Describing Lahore as the "heaven on earth", visiting Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar says she was "pleasantly shocked" by the love that Pakistani people have for their Indian counterparts.

"I am pleasantly shocked to see the love that Pakistanis have for Indians," she told newsmen here Saturday. "I have been given a lot of love here. I would never forget the love I received in Pakistan," she said before leaving for India this afternoon.

Kumar said she had felt as if her five-day trip had gone by in "five seconds. She praised residents of Lahore for their love for Indians and prayed for cordial relations and peace between India and Pakistan. "There should be a relationship of peace and friendship between two countries. Both countries should resolve their outstanding issues through dialogue."

Expressing good wishes for progress, well-being of Pakistan and its people, Kumar said her visit was a historic occasion as it was the first by a Lok Sabha Speaker.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif hosted a luncheon in honor of Kumar and parliamentary delegation that accompanied her. Chief Minister said: "Both Pakistan and India should fight poverty, unemployment which are common problems of people across the borders."

During two-day stay in Lahore, Ms Kumar and her delegation visited Data Darbar shrine to pay homage to sufi saint, Hazart Ali Hajveri, visited Minar-e-Pakistan, samadhi of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Gurdwara Dera Sahib, met Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa and witnessed proceedings of Punjab Assembly and witnessed its proceedings for some time.

Earlier, in Islamabad she had meetings with Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, Speaker of National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza, Chairman Senate Farooq Naek and parliamentarians.