Pakistani envoy Sohail Mahmood has hoped that the historic Kartarpur corridor initiative “would be instrumental in further facilitating and fortifying people-to-people bonds”. Mahmood interacted with 14th batch of Maharashtra Institute of Technology – School of Government, Pune. The delegation, including some 30 students, pursuing post-graduate degree programme in Political Leadership and Government had wide-ranging interaction with Mahmood at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. The High Commissioner highlighted Pakistan´s current demographic make-up and shared an overview of the country´s external environment and challenges among other issues. Mahmood also outlined the “national priorities of the new Imran Khan government, including economic turnaround, improved governance, and accelerated socio-economic development”, said officials. The envoy hoped that the historic Kartarpur Initiative ´would be instrumental in further facilitating and fortifying people-to-people bonds.´ “Commenting on the historical evolution of India-Pakistan relations, he stressed the importance of changing the conflictual pattern of the past to a cooperative pattern in the future. In this context, he stressed the imperatives of sustained engagement, a result-oriented dialogue process, resolution of outstanding disputes, enhanced regional cooperation, and collective endeavours for shared prosperity,” said a formal statement from the High Commission. The need for more exchanges between intellectuals, academics, artists and sportsmen of the two countries was underscored with a focus on media and youths of both countries that could bridge distance in ties. “He urged the students to be the ´ambassadors of Pakistan-India peace´ as they go forth in life and pursue their professional careers in diverse fields,” said the statement.