A day after Pakistan’s cabinet approved a liberalised visa agreement with India, India Thursday said it will activate diplomatic channels with Islamabad to implement the arrangement at the earliest.
The accord, which was signed during the visit of then External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, eases curbs on issuing visas to traders, elderly people, tourists, pilgrims, members of civil society and children. ‘We will activate diplomatic channels to implement it,’ said Syed Akbaruddin, the external affairs ministry’s spokesperson.
Pak Information Minister Qamar uz Zaman Kaira told onWednesday that at a cabinet meeting presided over by PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, the members unanimously accorded approval to the relaxed visa agreement with India.
A 38-year-old visa agreement has been replaced with the new accord, which says that a visa has to be issued in a period not exceeding 45 days from the application. Under the new system, one can visit 5 places instead of 3 at present; those above 65 and children below 12 yrs of age, eminent businessmen are exempted from police reporting.
The accord, which was signed during the visit of then External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, eases curbs on issuing visas to traders, elderly people, tourists, pilgrims, members of civil society and children. ‘We will activate diplomatic channels to implement it,’ said Syed Akbaruddin, the external affairs ministry’s spokesperson.
Pak Information Minister Qamar uz Zaman Kaira told onWednesday that at a cabinet meeting presided over by PM Raja Pervez Ashraf, the members unanimously accorded approval to the relaxed visa agreement with India.
A 38-year-old visa agreement has been replaced with the new accord, which says that a visa has to be issued in a period not exceeding 45 days from the application. Under the new system, one can visit 5 places instead of 3 at present; those above 65 and children below 12 yrs of age, eminent businessmen are exempted from police reporting.