Capt meets PM for Lahore visit

The CM had sought clearance for his Lahore visit and alleged that the MEA had treated his request rather casually. Amarinder today said he had got a 8216;8216;we-have-received-it8217; response but no reply so far.

His scepticism on the MEA response is rooted in an earlier spat. A few months ago, a China-bound trade delegation from Punjab was grounded as the MEA did not clear the visit. Amarinder had then blamed MoS Vinod Khanna for stalling the visit then.

This time, Amarinder is cautious in naming anyone. 8216;8216;I have asked the PM to permit trade and improvement in relations among Punjabis,8217;8217; he said after the meeting.

He said he would also like to reciprocate the invitation from Choudhary Pervez Elahi, CM of Pakistan8217;s Punjab Province, to visit Lahore. He said these visits would work towards better people-to-people relations. Today, he apparently sought the PM8217;s permission to extend the invitation.

After his meeting, Amarinder said he had asked Vajpayee to pursue the issue of exports from Punjab to Pakistan. While Amarinder8217;s contention is that Pakistani traders who had visited Punjab were keen to import wheat and cotton from Punjab, Islamabad had recently said a plain no to Indian wheat. However, Amarinder feels a little persuasion by the Prime Minister would make Islamabad reverse its decision.

Amarinder said besides this, he had reiterated Punjab8217;s demand for concessions to the state8217;s industries at par with Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.