Friday, February 10 2006 10:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Chandigarh: Until the time common people of India and Pakistan mingle with each other freely, all confidence building measures will have little meaning,Pakistani mediamen said here today (Feb 10,2006).

Exchange of delegations by two countries comprising of politicians, artistes, lawyers and others was good but would not be of much help if common people are not able to meet each other on both sides, Tahir Malik, head of Roshni TV in Pakistan, said on the sidelines of a seminar at Centre for Research in Rural and Industrial Development (CRRID) here.

"Visa regime should be liberalised and travel restrictions should be eased. The cosmetic interaction of the people on both sides is not going to make much headway in improving our relations. At the moment, it is more of socialising with each other rather than any serious effort in having people-to-people contact," Malik, a member od seven-member delegation to visit the state, said.

On how Pakistani media was viewing the peace initiatives between both countries, he said "there is a positive feeling about the whole peace process among the people".

Opinion writer on business affairs from Lahore, Khalid Pervez while speaking at the seminar, stressed the need for promoting of religious tourism by the two countries.

He said religious tourism is an area which could be used to bridge the gap between the 'thoughts, the ideas and misconceptions about each other'.