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Mann for opening border with Pak.

By Our Staff Reporter

Jammu April 28. The Shiromani Akali Dal president and MP, Simranjit Singh Mann, has called for opening the India-Pakistan border so that the normal exchange of people and trade can resume. It would only supplement the efforts of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to normalise relations with Pakistan, he said.

Talking to reporters here, Mr. Mann said, "we should improve relations with that country. The open borders will facilitate the growth of tourism and trade". He expressed concern over the denial of permission to Sikhs from Jammu and Kashmir to visit Nankana Sahib in Pakistan this year and strongly advocated the improvement of bilateral relations.

Asserting that the gun was no solution for any problem, he said, "we should seek the resolution of our problems in a peaceful and democratic way instead of taking to arms". Highlighting the problems of the Sikh community in the State, he demanded greater benefits for it.

Meanwhile, the outgoing, Governor, G.C. Saxena, has charged Pakistan with continuing to "export terror" to the State. While some terrorist groups continued to operate from Pakistani soil others had the patronage of Pakistani agencies and Pakistani Government, he said.

"There is intense pressure on our enemy (Pakistan) to stop abetting and supporting terrorism," he said. Predicting that peace would be restored by the end of the year, he said, "what to say of the common masses, even the supporters of militants are presently thinking on entirely positive lines".

"Those who used to support the gun culture today favour dialogue and peace process. Foreign mercenaries active in the State have been isolated as a feeling has been inculcated among the masses that terrorism is the main cause of their miseries".

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