Type: Parliament Questions and Answers

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to satate :-

(a) the status of grant of liberalized visa to Pakistan citizens;

(b) the status of setting up a hot-line to expedite the process;

(c) the fool-proof action plan to ensure that anti-national elements do not seek benefit under the above project; and

(d) the status of signing a new agreement between the two countries, that would ensure better people to people contact in both the countries?

ANSWER: THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)

(a) to (d) Visas to Pakistani nationals are issued subject to fulfilment of requirements as per the Visa Manual.

In pursuance of the decision taken during the India-Pakistan Home/Interior Secretary level talks held at New Delhi on 28-29 March 2011, the second meeting of the Joint Working Group was held at New Delhi on October 13-14, 2011, to examine the modalities for streamlining the visa procedures and to finalize the draft of the new Bilateral Visa Agreement with a view to easing travel for the nationals of either country desiring to visit the other. The two sides finalized the draft text of the Bilateral Visa Agreement. In the Home/Interior Secretary level talks held in Islamabad on 24-25 May 2012, both sides welcomed the finalization of the Visa Agreement and agreed to sign it at an early date. The Pakistan side informed that some internal approvals were under process and the Agreement will be signed once they are in place.

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Pakistan
South Asia