Youth of India, Pak can help bridge our "trust deficit": Basit

Hailing the Indo-Pak school student exchange programme as a "remarkable" initiative, Pakistan here today expressed confidence in the ability of youth of both the countries in bridging the "trust deficit" between the two sides.
"Perhaps my generation has failed to build bridges between the two countries but we are confident that your generation will.
"Because you have the capacity to transcend subjectivities, you have the exposure, you have the means available to connect to each other and to understand each other better than perhaps we have had," Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit here said.
The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi today hosted a 50-member Pakistan delegation, including 30 students, which is currently visiting India on a week-long trip as part of an exchange programme, called 'Exchange for Change 2013-2015'.

Indian students, who had visited Pakistan as part of the programme last month, were also present on the occasion.
"Interaction between the two countries is so essential ..To build more and more bridges between our countries and I am also sure that such interaction will also allow us to dispense with stereotypes," Basit said.

He rued that despite 67 years after the Partition, the "trust deficit" between the two countries still "existed".
"Our countries are two people who have lived together for millenia...And in 1947 the two countries parted ways and two new countries were created...
"And since then, for one reason or another we have been fighting each other...Unfortunately, after 67 years, the trust deficit continues. Despite our efforts, endeavours in different areas, we have not been able to bridge that trust deficit," he said.

"They are the future, the youth of the two nations and I am sure they will help us improve our bilateral ties," he added.