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| Prevailing Indo-Pak visa regime being eased | | Islamabad for deal favouring inadvertent border crossers | | BL KAK
NEW DELHI, JAN 30
Islamabad has hit upon a new plan in support of inadvertent crossers along the Indo-Pakistan border. As most of these crossers, according to offical agencies, have been--and are likely to be--from Pakistan, Islamabad wants New Delhi to allow signiging of an agreement between the two sides for the speedy return of inadvertent border crossers during Foreign Minister, Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri's visit to India commencing February 20.
This issue, in fact, was discussed by Kasuri in Islamabad recently with his Indian counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, during the latter's first official visit to Pakistan. Significantly, with the latest anouncement about the upcoming visit to India by Kasuri, reports were officially circulated in Islamabad about the 'important' development: Pakistan and India will, in all likelihood, sign agreements to ease the visa regime and for the spedy return of inadvertent border crossers next month.
Indeed, these reports added that the two countries would also sign agreements on reducing the risk from accidents relating to nuclear weapons and prevention of incidents at sea on February 21 in New Delhi. Pakistan Foreign Minister will be accompanied by a team of senior officers. Kasuri will represent Pakistan at a meeting of the India-Pakistan Joint Commission on February 21-22. And Indian officials confirmed that the meeting will review the progress of the joint commission in promoting cooperation in information technology, health and food, science and technology and education.
Islamabad, significantly, has, once again, given currency to reports that the Congress-led UPA government in New Delhi had reviewed and approved the draft agreement for cutting the risk of nuclear accidents. And if these reports were any guide, high level officals of the two countries have completed the homework on the four agreements.
Kasuri is also to hold talks with his Indian counterpart to discuss options for a Kashmir solution, besides the Sir Creek and Siachen issue. He will also meet with Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, Congress party president, Sonia Ghandi, and the Minister for Petroleum.
A top government source told EARLY TIMES that New Delhi cannot be faulted for its unwillingness to lift restrictions on the movement of Pakistani diplomats in India. Elaborating, the source explained that there "is a definite reason" springing from the unwillingness of Islamabad to lift restrictions on the movement of Indian diplomats to Taxila and Hassan Abdal from Islamabad.
"Hence, the natural outcome in the shape of India's refusal to grant Pakistani diplomats permission to travel to Gurgaon and Noida in Delhi's neighbourhood", the source said in reply to a question. It was also pointed out that the issue was raised with the Pakistan government but a positive response "is still awaited". The issue is quite likely to figure at the upcoming Kasuri-Mukherjee parleys in the Indian capital.
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