Banquet Speech At Rashtrapati Bhawan

Bismillah

Your Excellencies the President andMrs. Narayanan,
Your Excellency Prime Minister AtalBehari Vajpayee,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalam-o-Alaikum

It is a privilege and a pleasure formy delegation, my wife and me to visit India and its historic capital.

We are also looking forward tovisiting Agra and Ajmer Sharif in the next two days. To us in Pakistan, theseare familiar names that evoke glorious memories of powerful empires of aflourishing culture and of saintly figures that stirred the souls of countlessmillions. On our return to Pakistan, we will carry with us indelible images ofthe richness of this historical legacy.

I thank you, Mr. President, for thewarm hospitality extended to us since our arrival in Delhi, the city where Ispent my early childhood. I thank you also for the opportunity, my wife and Ihad, earlier this evening, of meeting you and the gracious First Lady, Mrs.Narayanan. Your wisdom and warmth of personality have left a deep impression onboth of us.

My meeting with Prime MinisterVajpayee, at lunch today, was extremely rewarding. I am deeply impressed by hiswisdom and dignity. During the next two days, we will hold discussions on thefuture direction of our difficult and troubled relationship.

My presence in your great countrybrings to an end a hiatus of more than two years, which I believe, has notserved the broader interests of either side. As neighbouring countries, we needto bridge the gulf that divides us. I come to India with this purpose.

Fifty four years ago, to the day, inthis city, the Founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, said and Iquote "I sincerely hope that relations between Pakistan and Hindustan willbe friendly and cordial. We have a great deal to do, both states, and I thinkthat we can be of use to each other, not to say to the world. Being neighbours,from our side, I do not think you will find goodwill wanting". MahatamaGandhi, Bapu of Indian Nation, also laid down his life in the cause ofnonviolence and peaceful coexistence.

Fifty four years and two generationshave passed since then. The world has entered a new century and a newmillennium. Regions around the world are focusing on reducing tension foreconomic prosperity, social well-being and poverty alleviation. Regionalassociations for this purpose are gaining strength.

Where does our region stand? With1/5th of the world's population, and impoverished, deprived, disillusioned andtolling  masses, we still are groping for co-operation, mutual trust andpeace.

I believe in Quaid-e-Azam's vision ofgood relations between Pakistan and India. I believe also that this vision isnot beyond our grasp'  I have come to India because I would like to doeverything possible to realize the dream of the Quaid-e-Azam.

The legacy of the past years is not ahappy one. Our two countries have been through wars. Blood has been spilt;precious lives have been lost. We have been locked in mutual suspicion andhostility. We have paid a heavy price for it. We owe it to our futuregenerations to do our utmost to open a new chapter of goodwill and cooperation.

We must not allow the past to dictatethe future. Our nuclear status imposes now responsibilities on us. We mustovercome the burden of history. Other nations have done it. We must also do so.

The experience of the last decades andmore is before us. The Jammu and Kashmir dispute continues to block progresstowards normalization of our relations. I believe that there can be no militarysolution of this dispute. It can and must be resolved peacefully. We must bebold enough to face this issue squarely and resolve it once and for all. Thisindeed, will open a new chapter of fruitful relations between our two countriesand also put an end to the sufferings of the hopeless people of Kashmir.

Our capabilities and responsibilitiesin the new century no longer offer us the option of continuing on the path of asterile impasse, continued hostility and mistrust.

I am deeply committed to finding apath towards normal relations between our countries. I would like communications to open, trade to flourish, mindsets to change and stereotypes todisappear. The children of Pakistan and India must not be made to live under theconstant shadow of conflict. They must also not be made to live in deprivationand crippling poverty. The energies of our peoples must be diverted to theimmense  and challenging task of social and economic uplift of banishingmisery and ushering in an era of progress and prosperity.

I would like to conclude with anotherquote from Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah on the eve of his departure forKarachi from New Delhi on 7th August 1947 he said, "The past must be buriedand let us start afresh as two independent sovereign states of Hindustan andPakistan. I wish Hindustan prosperity and peace".

Today again I urge you to join me inthis noble endeavour. Let us begin this effort now. Let us today embark uponthis challenging and rewarding task. Let us join hands in building a betterfuture for our succeeding generations. Let us, together, create history for theworld.

With these words, I request you tojoin me in wishing health, happiness and well-being for his Excellency thePresident and Mrs. Narayanan, progress and prosperity for the people of Indiaand peace and security for the entire region.

Thank you, Excellencies.