LAHORE, Jan 24: A delegation of Pakistani peace activists arrived at Wagha on Saturday after a three-day visit of New Delhi.

The 22-member delegation had crossed Wagha on Jan 21 to interact with civil society, media and political leadership of India at New Delhi at the joint initiative of South Asians for Human Rights (Sahr) and South Asian Free Media Association (Safma).

Senior journalist IA Rahman, who was part of the peace mission, termed the visit quite fruitful. Interaction with Indian civil society, political leadership and retired bureaucrats has helped develop better understanding of each other’s point of view, he said.

“The main purpose of our visit was to express solidarity with the people of India. There are problems there and Indian people are still angry and want Pakistan to do many things. The visit was an opportunity to hear different voices in India and explain our point of view. The relations between the two neighbouring states should improve,” Mr Rahman said.

Senator Haji Muhammed Adeel of the Awami National Party was of the view that the dialogue process between Islamabad and New Delhi should continue. He found a `large constituency of peace’ during his interaction with Indian intelligentsia and political leadership.

He said Pakistan and India should cooperate with each other to counter terrorism -- the common problem faced by the two countries. Other members of the delegation included columnist Munir Ahmad (Munoo Bhai), political and defence analyst Dr Hassan Askari Rizvi, Ms Farzana Adeel, Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) working committee member and former MPA Ali Haroon Shah, human rights activist and artist Salima Hashmi, former senator and federal law minister who is co-chairperson of the HRCP Iqbal Haider, publisher and editor of an English weekly Syeda Maimanat Mohsin (Jugnu Mohsin).