UK MP Dhesi meets NRI affairs minister, discusses issues affecting overseas Punjabis

Jalandhar: UK MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi on Friday met Punjab NRI affairs minister Sanjeev Arora. The hour-long meeting covered various issues of importance to NRIs, especially land dispute and seizure matters.The issue of extortion calls also figured in the discussion. It was underlined that the matter needed to be dealt with to ensure the people's safety.Dhesi wished for an effective one-window system, which overseas Punjabis could rely on to cover concerns and also help business people seeking to invest in Punjab.Dhesi also highlighted the need for more direct flights to Amritsar and Chandigarh, particularly from London, Birmingham, and other European destinations, as well as North America and Asia. This would help connect global Punjabis and tourists directly with Punjab, while also increasing trade activities, he said.Given the millions of Punjabi diaspora, Dhesi hoped that Punjab could emerge as a major power in the aviation sector, and requested investment and political support from both the Indian and Punjab govts in this regard.It was noted that the International Cargo Port in Amritsar, which was closed after recent Indo-Pak tensions, needed to be reopened. Better relations and increased trade between India and Pakistan will, of course, benefit both nations, but in particular, Punjabis, the meeting highlighted.Dhesi also requested that pressure should be applied for the reopening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor.Other long-pending issues included the release of Sikh political prisoners who served their sentences and the case of the British national Jagtar Singh Johal.He hoped that all the issues would be taken seriously by the Punjab govt and the authorities concerned in India.MSID:: 123456479 413 |

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