Leaders of Pakistan's opposition parties and main Islamist alliance met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee [ Images ] on the sidelines of the SAARC summit and praised his peace initiatives to normalise relations between India [ Images ] and Pakistan.

A delegation of Pakistan People's Party leaders led by vice-chairman Makhdoom Fahim met Vajpayee at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commissioner for the Prime Minister on Sunday.

Handing over flowers sent by party leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto [ Images ] to Vajpayee, Fahim said the PPP appreciated the Indian leader for his initiative to bring peace to the region.

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The initiative and political standing of Vajpayee offered a hope for peace in the region, he said.

At the reception, member of the National Assembly Ramesh Lal presented a memorandum to Vajpayee asking him to offer more visa facilities for Pakistani Hindus to visit India.

An Muttahida Majlis Amal delegation led by Jamat Ulema Islami leader Fazlur Rehman held a 10-minute long meeting with Vajpayee and felicitated him for his peace initiative to reduce tension between the two countries.

During the meeting, Rehman praised the confidence-building measures announced by India and Pakistan to normalise the situation between the two countries.

The JUI-F leader welcomed Vajpayee's participation in the summit and urged for talks to resolve contentious issues, including Kashmir [ Images ].