India desires peaceful, progressive Pakistan: FM

ISLAMABAD - Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna Sunday termed his visit to Pakistan as fruitful and said his country wants a stable and peaceful Pakistan as its neighbor.

Krishna Sunday arrived in the Pakistani eastern city of Lahore to wrap his three-day official visit. During the visit both countries signed the historic liberalized visa regime that will promote people-to-people contact between the two countries. ?

The Indian foreign minister will visit historic sites in Lahore, the capital of Punjab province and will meet provincial governor and the chief minister before flying home.

"It is my earnest desire and the desire of Dr Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India and the people of India that we would like to see a stable, peaceful, progressive Pakistan as our neighbor because that will be beneficial to the entire region," the Indian foreign minister told reporters at the Lahore airport.

Krishna referred to the signing of the lenient visa pact and a cultural promotion agreement and said that will boost cordial relationship between the two countries.

He was warmly received at the airport by Provincial Minister for Jail, Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry and senior officials.

The Indian foreign minister is scheduled to meet the main opposition leader, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif in Lahore. He has already met with some political leaders in Islamabad.