'India makes tremendous advancement in information technology'

There should be more exchange of delegations of artists and students as enhanced people-to-people contact will help making atmosphere conducive for boosting trade and improving government-to-government relations.
The visiting Indian Punjab Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Labour & Employment, Ashwani Sekhri, stated this while talking to newsmen at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) here on Saturday. The Indian Punjab Minister for Technical Education & Industrial Training, Mohinder Singh Kay Pee, and Chairman Punjab Information & Communication Technology Corporation Dr Raj Kumar MLA were also present on the occasion.
Ashwani maintained that they have made tremendous advancement in Information Technology (IT) as well as its education. He claimed that the children passing out from these institutions were widely welcomed abroad for jobs. He said that India and Pakistan could co-operate in IT sector.
TOURISM: Regarding tourism, he expressed the hope that if due attention is given to this sector, there would be 'flood' of people on each side visiting each other's country. He said that tourism was the 3rd largest industry world over which was also employment extensive.
Replying to a query about Kashmir and incidents of massacre in Gujrat and other areas, he said being the representative of a provincial government, he could not comment on federal issues. However, he said, "majority of people and secular parties strongly condemn cruel acts anywhere in India." "We feel the same pain as you feel whenever any minority is treated roughly in India," he claimed.
About his visit to Lahore, he said that Indo-Pakistan Theatre Festival organisers invited him. Appreciating the theatre and its performances, he said with increased interaction between public, atmosphere would be more cordial and conducive.
He said: "Punjab of both sides share the same heritage and civilisation, which was more than 5,000 years old." However, the generation after the partition did not know about each other and when such visits would increase, they would know the real picture. He said that both the countries could take benefit of expertise of each other in agriculture sector.
"Indian Punjab has industries in engineering, steel, textile, and sports," he said, adding, "now attention is being given to agro-based industry, IT and tourism."
Earlier, LCCI chief Mian Anjum Nisar, in his address of welcome, called for enhanced people-to-people interaction so as to avail the opportunities of increasing bilateral trade after signing of Safta agreement.