The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Islamabad

Old rivals Pakistan and India agreed on Friday to increase the number of flights and routes between their countries and allow more airlines to operate them, they said. The agreement was the latest sign of steadily improving ties between the nuclear-armed neighbours, four years after they launched a tentative peace process. "Both sides expressed satisfaction that the new arrangement would further the objective of facilitating people to people contact, business and trade activities," the two countries said in a statement. Transport links, as well as other interactions including trade, have for years been limited between the countries, which have fought three wars since 1947 and nearly went to war a fourth time in 2002. At the moment, only one airline from each country operates between the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Karachi and the Indian cities of Mumbai and New Delhi.