NEW DELHI : Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Sherry Rehman Friday said Pakistan was committed to taking forward the ongoing dialogue process with India as peace is pre‑requisite for sustainable development and stability in the region.
She said this while talking to reporters here after attending the last rituals of the prominent peace campaigner, Nirmala Deshpande, who passed away Thursday.
Sherry Rehman said Deshpande’s demise is a great loss not only for India but also for Pakistan as she played a crucial role in consolidating and promoting dialogue process between the two neighboring countries.
She said the late Deshpande, popularly known as Deedi (elder sister) had greatly contributed with the help of members of parliament from Pakistan towards establishment of Pakistan‑India Parliamentary Forum ‑ the first in the region to make the peace process sustainable and irreversible.
The Minister remarked such persons on either side of the two countries never die and Deshpande’s life long noble struggle for love, affection and peace among various cultures, faiths and specially across the border would always remind the generations of her valuable and selfless accomplishments.
She said the death of Deshpande has created a huge gap, almost difficult to be filled in the years to come.
She expressed the resolve that government and parliamentarians of Pakistan would encourage social and peace activists on both sides to continue carrying forward this noble mission to facilitate and promote people to people contact between the two South Asian nations.
Referring to her visit, the Minister said she has come to Delhi as Special Envoy of the Prime Minister and the people of Pakistan to participate in the last rituals of this old parliamentarian and illustrious Gandhian and also pay homage to her struggle for peace and friendship between the two people.
On the occasion, the Minister also met with several Indian leaders, MPs including Congress Secretary General, Rahul Gandhi and conveyed condolence on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan on the demise of the peace activist.
Rahul Gandhi specially thanked government of Pakistan for sending a high level delegation to share the grief.
The Minister Sherry Rehman arrived New Delhi in the wee hours Friday by a special plane along with Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Qamar Zaman Kaira and a prominent PPP leader and former member of National Assembly Manzoor Ahmad Chaudhry.
High Commissioner for Pakistan, Shahid Malik and senior officials of the High Commission received the delegation at the IGI Airport, New Delhi.
Later, the delegation left for Islamabad by a special plane Friday evening.
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