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| People await signing of new visa regime | | |
A major section of people in India and Pakistan await the plan to liberalise
the visa regime which would make it easy and less cumbersome for those visiting each others' country.Indications are that the issue related to the promoting people to people contact may be finalised during the upcoming visit of Pakistan's interior Minister,Rehman Malik,to New Delhi.In fact Malik has been invited by India's Home Minister,S.K.Shinde,who is keen to increase and promote people to people contact which could reduce the trust defict that has been existing between the two neighbouring countries.During the last more than five years the two sides have been trying to promote trade and travel between the two sides that would remove the veil of mistrust needed for developing cordial dies between New Delhi and Islamabad.The question of simplification of visa rules has already been discussed by the two sides at the ministerial and at the official level but the final decision has not been formulated and framed on one account or the other.But the two sides seem to be quite serious on finalising the new visa regime. And if the two sides succeed in evolving a definite plan for making people to people contact between the two sides an easy affair it would be the first major development in the subcontinent.The new liberalised Indo-Pak visa pact,when finalised in the next one week, will replace a 38-year-old restrictive visa agreement and paves the way for time-bound visa approval and greater people-to-people contact and trade. The visa agreement, signed by then External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Malik in Islamabad on September 8, eases curbs on issuing visas to traders, elderly people, tourists, pilgrims, members of civil society and children.Under the new regime, one can visit five places, instead of the three at present, and those above 65 years of age and children below 12 years of age and "eminent" businessmen are exempted from reporting to the police. Malik had indicated to Shinde, when they met in Rome on the sidelines of the Interpol General Assembly last month, that he would travel to New Delhi to formally launch the new visa regime.However, due to the winter session of Parliament, the visit could not materialise. Later, official sources said that as the government was planning to hang 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab on November 21, the visit was put on hold. Now that all the hurdles have been cleared New Delhi has renewed its invitation to Malik which indicates that India is more keen than Pakistan on making travel and trade between the two sides easier that they have been hitherto. It is yet to be made clear whether the simplified visa rules will be applicable in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir or travel between the two Kashmir's will be governed by the procedure that has been in place since 2005 when Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route was thrown open for travel.Though people on both sides are waiting for the new visa regime to be in force they would equally welcome if the two sides also cleared the proposal for setting up banking facilities.In fact the lack of banking facilities have dampened the interests of traders in Jammu and Kashmir and across the LOC in import and export business because they have to bank on barter system.Since Malik is Pakistan's interior Minister he could enlighten New Delhi on Islamabad's counter infiltration and counter terrorism programme. Apart from restrictions on trade and travel if there is any major grievance against Islamabad it is the Government's moral and material aid that has been provided to militants,sneaking into Jammu and Kashmir and in other Indian states,for kicking up subversive violence.One hopes some firm understanding on firming action against terrorists is reached between Malik and Shinde. |
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