First delegation of Pakistani Hindus arrive in India

WAGAH, India, Friday (AFP) - The first delegation of Pakistani Hindus to visit India in eight years arrived here to visit temples and pray for the success of the ongoing India-Pakistan peace process which paved the way for their visit.

Members of delegation of nearly 200 Hindus, which arrived aboard the Samjhauta Express train, said they were also looking forward to family reunions.

"We have numerous relatives in India and were longing to see each other for the last several years. We will all pray to God for the better relations between India and Pakistan to continue," said Karori Mal.

Such visits were quite frequent until 1997 but the 1998 tit-for-tat nuclear blasts by India and Pakistan led to a gradual souring of relations and both were reluctant to issue visas to each other's nationals.

Mal said most of the members of the delegation had come to India to attend the 45th death anniversary of Hindu saint Raja Ram Sahib as well as visit temples in pilgrimage towns.

India and Pakistan have fought three wars, two over Kashmir, since Britain partitioned the subcontinent in 1947 and came close to another in 2002 following an attack on India's parliament by suspected Pakistan-backed militants.

On Thursday, bus passengers from the Indian and Pakistani zones of Kashmir crossed the heavily-militarised ceasefire line for the second time in almost 60 years despite threats by militants.