Meira Kumar: Lahore visit

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who led a 17-member Indian parliamentary delegation to Pakistan, said she was “pleasantly shocked” to see the love of Pakistanis for Indians, and prayed for cordial relations between the two countries. The delegation visited Lahore and Islamabad, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.
Meira Kumar on Friday visited the Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore accompanied by members of the Punjab provincial assembly, and wrote a message of good wishes in the visitors’ book.
Expressing progress and well-being for Pakistan and its people, the Lok Sabha speaker said it was a historic occasion for her as she was the first Indian parliament speaker to visit Pakistan, the Dawn News reported.
She said Indians wanted “friendly relations” with the Pakistani people.
The Indian delegation comprised members of various political parties and “all of us have come here with the message of peace and love,” the Lok Sabha speaker said.
The delegation visited the Punjab provincial assembly in Lahore and witnessed for some time its proceedings.
Meira Kumar also held a meeting with assembly Speaker Rana Mohamed Iqbal, who later hosted a luncheon in the honour of the visiting team.
She later visited the Data Darbar Sufi shrine as well as the memorial to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
Fehmida Mirza, speaker of the National Assembly -- the lower house of the Pakistani parliament -- termed the visit of Meira Kumar “fruitful”.
Mirza said that through parliamentary diplomacy, both countries have to target issues like health, education and poverty. IANS

Pakistan to export unutilised cement to India
Over 20% unutilised production capacity of Pakistani cement industry could be put to use by increasing exports to India if non-tariff barriers (NTBs) are removed as per agreed by granting most-favoured nation (MFN) status to India by Pakistan.
Incorporation of Pak-Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industry could also benefit in increasing cement exports. Its rising exports to Afghanistan reached 4.72mn tonnes at the end of fiscal year 2010-11, which is 50% of 9.42mn tonnes total exports, All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) statistics stated same ratio for seven months ended in January in the current fiscal year 2011-12.
APCMA chairman Aizaz Mansoor Sheikh said about 10mn tonnes cement per annum could be exported to India alone.