India and Pakistan should come together to fight hunger and poverty, instead of fighting with each other, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said on Thursday.

Addressing a gathering at the Government College University (GCU) in Lahore, Mr. Nitish said that he received enormous love from the people of Pakistan, and that he didn't feel that he was in an alien land.

Urging the two countries to cooperate with each other, he said, "We have a similar history and we must move forward. Instead of fighting with each other, we should jointly fight hunger and poverty."

He also highlighted various measures that his government adopted to improve the condition of education, healthcare, agriculture and law & order in Bihar. He claimed that the rate of dropout in his state had declined to from 12.5 per cent in 2005 to just 2 per cent this year.

Several top leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government, including Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah, attended a dinner held in honour of visiting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his delegation in the federal capital today.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Bagley hosted a dinner for the Bihar Chief Minister at a hotel in Islamabad. The dinner, which was totally devoid of speeches, was also attended by a number of top Pakistani leaders, including Religious Affairs Minister Khursheed Shah.

Since Mr. Nitish arrived in Karachi on Friday, he has interacted with Sindh CM Qaim Ali Shah and some of his colleagues, paid a visit to an ancient Hindu temple, addressed a Hindu panchayat, and toured the historic site of Mohenjodaro.