Karachi, May 9 : Mumbai and Karachi shared common features and they should be declared as "sister cities", said the acting Nazim of Karachi Nasreen Jalil.

She also laid stress on the need for an immediate opening of visa offices in Karachi and Mumbai, besides starting a ferry service between the two cities.

The Nazim was speaking at a function organised to felicitate the visiting Indian poets as part of the "Hamara Karachi" festivities in the port city of Karachi.

She stressed the need for an exchange of delegations between the two countries so as to promote peace and harmony in the region.

Speaking about the recently held mushaira, Sakinan-i-Shehr-i-Quaid, Nasreen said that such events would help foster better relations between the two neighbouring countries. "Our effort should be to provide opportunities to our younger generation to take interest in such literary gatherings", the Dawn quoted her as saying.

On the occasion, the visiting Indian poets thanked Nasreen Jalil. "We have brought the gifts of love, peace and sincerity from India and carrying the same in response from here to our country", they said. Later, they also presented their poetry.