PM accepted invitation to visit Pak

Islamabad: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has accepted Pakistan`s invitation to visit the country, said Commerce Minister Amin Fahim of Pakistan. Fahim extended the invitation during a meeting with Singh in New Delhi yesterday at the end of his visit to India, he said in a statement. On his return from India, Fahim told reporters that Singh had accepted the invitation to visit Pakistan. He did not say when Singh would visit Islamabad.

Singh said India and Pakistan should jointly fight poverty. He assured Fahim of the Indian government`s full cooperation in boosting trade between the two countries. India`s Commerce Minister Anand Sharma is scheduled to visit Pakistan next month with a delegation of businessmen.

Fahim had extended his three-day visit to India and visited Sufi shrines and other tourist spots. Fahim expressed the hope that all hurdles would be removed to achieve the bilateral trade target of USD six billion over the next three years.

He said Singh had told him that India wanted to see Pakistan as a prosperous country. The Indian government`s decision to withdraw its veto in the World Trade Organisation on a European Union duty-free trade package would benefit Pakistan, he said. The package was earlier due to be implemented in January and the issue is now likely to be taken up for consideration on October 20.

The Commerce Ministry statement said Fahim had praised the active participation of Pakistani and Indian business communities at conclaves organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Mumbai and New Delhi.