Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Pakistan civil society was very eager that India and Pakistan should adopt Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) of various nature to bring relief to the lives of civil society on both sides;
(b) whether it is a fact that many Parliamentarians in Pak want to establish an Indo-Pak Parliamentary Forum; and
(c) the action that was envisaged in the Ministry on this development?

ANSWER THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI S.M. KRISHNA)

(a) The leadership of Pakistan has from time to time conveyed that the Government and people of Pakistan desire harmonious, cooperative and friendly relations between the two countries. Both countries have underlined that people of the two countries are at the heart of the relationship and have acknowledged the need for promotion of friendly exchanges, including enhanced people-to-people contacts, by adopting appropriate CBMs in this regard.

(b) & (c) An India-Pakistan Friendship Group has been constituted comprising 22 members from the Lok Sabha and

,Pakistan,Parliament Questions and Answers,South Asia