Kabul convergence

The Express Tribune added: "Both countries have agreed in principle that there will be no restrictions on the freed Taliban leaders and they can rejoin families either in Pakistan or go to Afghanistan or any other country under the 'safe passage' mechanism."

Nitish visit

BIHAR Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was in Pakistan on a "goodwill visit" and spent most of his time in Sindh. When he went to Islamabad, he met the chairperson of one of Pakistan's anti-poverty, pro-women programmes introduced by the PPP government in memory of Benazir Bhutto, the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP). Nitish told its chief, senior PPP leader Farzana Raja, that "Various interventions, including those in health and education sectors, have been introduced to uplift the living standards of underprivileged segments of society. India wants to learn from the experiences and success of BISP...". This was reported by Daily Times on November 14, adding that Raja offered to share BISP's experiences with India.

New Year Gift

PAKISTAN has promised India a New Year gift. A report headlined "India to get MFN status as New Year gift from Pakistan" stated: "There would be no delay on our commitment for implementing MFN status with India from January 1, 2013,' Federal Minister for Commerce said while addressing a news conference. The minister said that abolishing the negative list comprising 1,209 items would be done on December 31, 2012 and MFN status would be implemented from January 1." While India gave Pakistan the MFN status many years ago, reciprocation was being sought to formalise this all-important CBM. The deputy chief minister of Punjab, Sukhbir Singh Badal, also visited Pakistan earlier this month for a sports tournament but made his pitch for opening up the Wagah-Attari border for overland trade.

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