Pakistani Cabinet approves liberalized visa accord with India

Pakistani Cabinet on Wednesday approved the liberalized visa agreement with India, which will relax curbs on issuance of visas to traders, elderly people, tourists, pilgrims, members of the civil society and children. The two countries signed the agreement in September during the visit to Islamabad by then Indian Foreign Minister S M Krishna. Information Minister, Qamar uz Zaman Kaira told a news conference on Wednesday that at the cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, the cabinet members unanimously accorded approval to the relaxed visa agreement with India which he hoped will promote people-to-people contacts. A 38-year-old visa pact has been replaced with the new pact, which says that visa has to be issued in a period of not exceeding 45 days of application. Under the new regime, one can visit five places instead of three at present and those above 65 and children below 12 years of age and eminent businessmen are exempted from police reporting. Under the category of Visitor visa, earlier only single entry visa for three months used to be issued for meeting relatives, friends, business or other legitimate purpose. Under the new pact, single entry visa is to be issued for six months but stay should not exceed three months at a time. Under the new Category II, a Visitor visa for a maximum five specified places may be issued for a longer period, up to two years with multiple entries to senior citizens (those above 65 years old), spouses of a national of one country married to a person of another country and children below 12 years of age accompanying parents as given earlier. The new Group Tourist visa will be issued for no less than 10 people and no more than 50 people. This visa will be valid for 30 days and will have to be applied through tour operators registered by the two governments. The Cabinet also approved three agreements regarding customs and certification issues, which were also signed by officials of the Commerce Ministries of both countries in September