JOIN US Pakistan High Commissioner in India Salman Bashir on Thursday showered encomiums on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for ushering in a speedy development in the state over the last seven years.
“Pakistan is fascinated by the rapid strides Bihar has made in the last few years. The country is keen to know more about the ‘Bihar model’ of growth, and, therefore, everyone is looking forward to Nitish’s proposed Pakistan trip next month,” said Bashir, after meeting the chief minister at the latter’s official residence – 1, Aney Marg, here on Thursday. Bashir’s praise comes close on the heels of cricketer-turned-politician and chief of Tehrik-e-Insaaf Party Imran Khan appreciating Nitish for putting Bihar back on the development track.
Bashir is reported to have discussed the nitty-gritty of Nitish’s visit to Pakistan from November 9 to November 16. “Besides, the chief minister informed the Pakistan High Commissioner about the development and changes that have taken place in the state in the last seven years,” an official from the CM’s Office said.
Nitish, who will lead an 11-member delegation, including Bihar ministers Sukhda Pandey and Renu Kushwaha, is expected to visit Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, besides the archaeological sites of Mohenjodaro and Takshila. He will hold talks with President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Raja Parvez Ashraf, besides meeting Imran Khan.
Nitish was invited to Pakistan by an all-party parliamentary delegation that visited Bihar in August. The MPs had extended him the invitation from Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate as well as four provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.