M A I N   N E W S

Easy visa rules on cards to boost Indo-Pak ties: PC
Home Minister opens country’s first Integrated Check Post at Attari
Perneet Singh/TNS

Attari (Amritsar), April 13
With India and Pakistan gearing up to introduce a new visa regime, elderly, children, spouses and traders can now look forward to easier movement across the border in the coming days.

Inaugurating the country’s first Integrated Check Post (ICP) here today, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said India has already approved the new visa regime while Pakistan is expected to do the same in near future. “My Pakistan counterpart Rehman Malik has told me that the new visa regime is awaiting nod from the Pakistan Cabinet. I am looking forward to the day when it will become operational,” he said.

The Home Minister said the two countries had set up a joint working group to liberalise the visa regime. He said India had already liberalised it once last year, but later felt that it was still restrictive. “Now, we will make it more liberal and it will facilitate easy travel for the elderly, children and traders.”

Chidambaram also raised the issue of Pakistan still using the old gate for passenger movement. “We have spent Rs 150 crore on raising the ICP and it must be fully utilised. However, Pakistan continues to use the old gate for passenger movement while we are ferrying them from the old gate to the new ICP. I appeal to Pakistan to use the new gate as the facility is more attractive,” he added.

Dubbing the trade as a great driving force, the Home Minister said the wars may divide the two countries but the trade brings them together. He appealed the commerce ministers of the two countries to “dismantle all trade barriers” while hoping that the India and Pakistan can one day trade all the goods they produce. He said the ICP got delayed by around 10 months, but added that vital lessons have been learnt. He admitted that there were some initial hiccups in operationalising the ICP that must be addressed. “I will return to the ICP after six to eight weeks to make sure that all the problems are resolved and we achieve what we have promised to deliver,” said Chidambaram.

Chidambaram parried queries on JuD chief Hafiz Saeed. On smuggling of drugs and fake currency through the Indo-Pak border, he said the government was finding ways and means to curb it.

Anand Sharma said the trade ties between the two countries have improved significantly over the last one year, as a result of which Pakistan has shifted to negative list regime for trade with India. He, however, urged Pakistan to review its decision regarding restricting the trade via Attari-Wagah land route to only 137 items. Pakistan Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim said the ICP will double the bilateral trade between the two countries. He said both the countries have agreed in principle to grant multiple visas to traders, a move that will further boost the economic ties.

Moving closer

• The Union Home Minister said India has already approved the new visa regime while Pakistan is expected to do the same in the near future
• Under new rules, the elderly, children, spouses and traders can now look forward to easier movement across the border
• The new check post is expected to double bilateral trade between the two countries

CMSpeak

• Badal asks Pakistan not to restrict import of Indian goods from Attari-Wagah to 137 items
• Urges opening Hussainiwala border for trade
• Seeks compensation for farmers with land beyond the border fence