1.
GV. Rashtrapati Bhavan.
0.03

2.
LV. High Commissioner arrives in car.
0.06

3.
SV. Ditto with mounted escort.
0.15

4.
CU. Guard.
0.16

5.
SV. High Commissioner meets officials.
0.19

6.
SV. High Commissioner taken in escort.
0.22

7.
LV. Reviews Guard of Honour.
0.26

8.
SV. Trumpeters.
0.28

9.
LV. High Commissioner in procession.
0.31

10.
SV. Ditto.
0.34

11.
SV. Indian President arrives.
0.39

12.
CU. High Commissioner makes statement.
0.42

13.
SV. High Commissioner presents credentials.
0.46

14.
LV. High Commissioner and President.
0.49

15.
SV. President meets Pakistani delegates.
0.53

16.
SV. Guard.
0.55

17.
SV. Group pose for pictures.
0.57

18.
LV. Ditto.
1.00



Initials JRG/JH/CW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The new Pakistani High Commissioner for India, Ummar Hayat Khan Malik, is the first envoy of his country to present his credentials at a special ceremony on taking up office in India.

The ceremony of great pageantry July 21 at the Rashtrapati Bhavan - the Presidential Residence and former Palace of British Viceroys - replaced the routine visit to present letters of introduction.

Mounted guards escorted High Commissioner Malik to the Residence before which he inspected a guard of honour formed from the presidential guard. In the ceremonial Darbar Hall, buglers sounded a fanfare as the High Commissioner entered to present his credentials to President Rajendra Prasad of India.

The splendour of the ceremony was symptomatic of the new era of improved relations between the two countries, following years of tension over frontier and refugee problems and the Indus water dispute. This month the World Bank brought the two nations together to agree on solving the water problem.