The Hindu : International / India & World : Euphoric welcome to Amarinder

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 15, 2005

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International - India & World

Euphoric welcome to Amarinder

By Sarabjit Pandher

SPECIAL GUEST: The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt. Amarinder Singh, is greeted by children on his arrival at the joint checkpost at Wagah on Monday. He was received by his Pakistan counterpart, Chaudhary Parvez Elahi (at left). — PTI

LAHORE, MARCH 14. Lahore, the capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, accorded an unprecedented reception to the Chief Minister of Indian Punjab, Amarinder Singh, who started his four-day Pakistan visit this morning.

Sporting a bright pink turban with his customary white kurta-pyjama suit, Capt. Singh crossed the Wagah border this morning along with his nine-member entourage. When his Pakistani counterpart, Chaudhary Parvez Elahi, who was accompanied by his Ministerial colleagues and senior officials, received the Indian delegation, there were scenes of jubilation.

Schoolgirls dressed in the traditional tribal Kailashi dress showered rose petals on the "special guest," while colourfully dressed youth in stands adjacent to the "Freedom Gate" waved flags of India and Pakistan. Elsewhere, as young women cheered the Indian delegation, a troupe of artists performed the traditional "Luddi" and "Jhumar" dances. There were also performances of other folk dances of the region.

Emotional outpouring

The personnel and officers of the Pakistan Rangers had a tough time in managing the ebullient crowds who cheered and shouted slogans in favour of the visiting dignitary. Capt. Singh and members of his entourage were pleasantly surprised at the emotional outburst.

The 27 km-long road to Lahore from Wagah was elaborately decorated with banners proclaiming India-Pakistan friendship, and especially the improved cooperation between the two Punjabs. "We travel hand in hand on the road to peace," said one banner in English, while another in Gurmukhi claimed that the glory of Punjab was unique.

Gigantic cut-outs of Capt. Singh with Mr. Elahi had been put up at all vantage points of Lahore, which appeared to have prolonged its recently concluded "Jashan-e-baharan" (spring festival).

The veteran journalist N.S. Parwana, who accompanied the then Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on his inaugural Delhi-Lahore bus service in 1999, said the reception accorded to Capt. Singh today had surpassed all previous displays of bonhomie. A senior officer of the Pakistani Punjab Government, while echoing the opinion of Mr. Parwana, said that Capt. Singh's visit to Islamabad, and his meeting with the President, Pervez Musharraf and the Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, was of extreme importance in the wider context of India-Pakistan relations.

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