Badal (Punjab), Sep 24: Three doctors from Pakistan joined over 300 Indian physicians during a mega medical camp for free treatment of patients Sunday at the Badal village - the native village of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The three Pakistani doctors checked scores of patients with their Indian counterparts at the village, located 180 km from Chandigarh.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the medical camp, Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil said such initiatives would play a pivotal role in further strengthening the ties between India and Pakistan. This would promote mutual cooperation and people-to-people contact, he added.

Patil said that frequent visits of the medical fraternity of both countries would not only upgrade their medical and diagnostic skills but would also go a long way in providing quality health care facilities to people of the subcontinent.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urged all doctors in Punjab to devote at least one day to treat poor patients free of cost at medical camps. While honouring the doctors from Pakistan, Badal thanked them for participating in the medical camp here.