New Delhi, May 23
Even as New Delhi pushes for punishing the Pakistan-based perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, the two nations are set to sign a path-breaking visa agreement that will in many ways increase much-needed people-to-people contact.

Union Home Secretary RK Singh today left for Islamabad for a two-day meeting (May 24-25) with his Pakistani counterpart Interior Secretary Khawaja Siddique Akbar. The two will sign a new visa regime and also discuss terrorism, a matter that has seen much public debate in India as it pushes for punishing Jamaat-Ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed and blames him for the Mumbai attacks that left 166 dead.

The new visa regime will, for the first time, pave the way for group tourist visas. These could be a boon for Indians, especially Punjabis, who migrated to this side of the Radcliffe Line following Partition and are keen to visit the birthplace of their forefathers.

The regime will also be a blessing for pilgrims on both sides. For Sikhs, “hurdle-free darshan of Nankana Sahib” is part of the ‘ardaas’ in gurdwaras. The visa will be a major facilitator for businessmen, who have in the past six months been encouraged with the response at exhibitions in Lahore and New Delhi.

Detailing the new visa regime, Home Ministry spokesperson Ira Joshi said, “The revised agreement inter-alia introduces the concept of group tourist visa, visa on arrival and a separate category of business visas.” Minute details of the visa and the safeguards on both sides will be addressed by the respective intelligence agencies.

IB Director Nehchal Sandhu is also part of the delegation along with National Investigation Agency (NIA) Director General SC Sinha. The NIA is the prosecuting agency in the Mumbai attacks case.

The last round of Home Secretary/Interior Secretary talks were held in New Delhi in March 2011. The joint statement had identified cooperation in the area of counter-terrorism, progress in bringing the fugitives of the Mumbai terror attacks case to justice and a revised bilateral visa agreement as some of the priorities.

The broad agenda of talks will include terrorism, fugitives from Indian law, narcotics and humanitarian issues such as the release of Indian fishermen and civilians languishing in jails in Pakistan.

The two-day dialogue comes soon after Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s April 8 visit. During their meeting, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stressed the need for Pakistan to take firm action to curb terrorism for positive forward movement in the bilateral relationship. The PM had told Zardari to bring perpetrators of the Mumbai attack to justice and prevent anti-India activities from Pakistani soil.