Strengthen ties with Pak, Amarinder urges Centre

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday urged strengthening people-to-people ties with Pakistan, telling that country's envoy that reviving games between the two Punjabs would help in this.

The suggestion figured in an informal lunch meeting he had with Pakistan high commissioner Sohail Mahmood, to whom the soldier-turned-politician also presented his book on the Kargil War, a reminder of the acrimony between the two countries.

A Ridge too far: War in the Kargil Heights 1999' was among the books by Amarinder Singh that were presented to the Pakistani envoy, according to a Punjab government press release.

The high commissioner also met Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar during his visit to Chandigarh.

The Punjab chief minister expressed concern over the declining trade levels between the two countries due to the escalation in tensions along the border in recent months, the official release quoting him said.

Mr Singh and Mahmood agreed that the slide in trade was detrimental to the interest of both the neighbouring nations.