On his return to India after a seven-day peace and amity tour to Pakistan, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said it is need of the hour for both the countries to improve their relationship and create an ambience of peace.
Kumar who entered India through the Attari-Wagah border advocated the need for opening new avenues of trade between the two neighbours and improving interaction. About his visit, the Bihar chief minister said as per his observation, people on both sides wish to improve their interaction besides trade relations so that peace prevails in the two countries.

Kumar also praised Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal's recent visit to Pakistan and said his visit got a positive response from people in Pakistan and it will help improve the relations between the two sides and open new avenues for trade.

The Bihar chief minister said he along with an 11-member team visited Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad and met Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, chief ministers of Sindh and Punjab, cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and other political personalities of the area and asked them to hold talks on improving the relationship between both the countries and discuss trade prospects. He added that he was given a warm welcome by the people of Pakistan and will always remember this visit.

Among those who accompanied Kumar included Bihar industries minister Renu Kumari, cultural affairs minister Sukhda Pandey, deputy chairperson of Bihar Vidhan Sabha Salim Parvez, Minorities Commission of Bihar chairperson Naushad Ahmad, Rajya Sabha member NK Singh and other officials of the Bihar government.