M A I N   N E W S

Badal strikes nostalgic note with Pak Punjab CM
Perneet Singh/TNS

Border Bonhomie The inaugural ceremony of the country’s first Integrated Check Post at the border town of Attari witnessed an excellent show of camaraderie among politicians of the two countries They cracked jokes and recited couplets during their addresses at the gala function Badal recalled sumptuous treat offered to him by Pakistan Punjab’s CM Shahbaz Sharif when he visited his place during the Vajpayee regime. Sharif wished he could have brought “puri-chhole” and other delicacies liked by Badal

Amritsar, April 14
It was border bonhomie at its best. The inaugural ceremony of the country’s first Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari witnessed an excellent show of camaraderie among politicians of the two countries as they cracked jokes and recited couplets during their addresses at the gala function.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal set the ball rolling with his speech, which, though in English, was laced with humour in chaste Punjabi. He struck a nostalgic note by reminiscing about his college life that he spent in Lahore. He quoted a Punjabi saying “Jinhe Lahore nahi vekhya, oh jamya nahin (One who hasn’t seen Lahore is not born).”

Subsequently, he pointed towards the young generation saying “it means these people are not born yet” to drive home his point for liberal visa regime while at the same time evoking laughter from the gathering.

Badal recalled how his counterpart from Punjab in Pakistan Shahbaz Sharif gifted him ‘dumbas’ (Afghan sheep) when he visited Pakistan during the Vajpayee regime.