New Delhi, June 2
India and Pakistan have renewed attempts to ease visa restrictions to enhance people-to-people contact with a two-day meeting of senior officials of the countries in Islamabad today.

The Indian side included officials from the Home Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry, while the Pakistani team included officials from the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry.

Official sources said deliberations at the first meeting of the joint working group on the visa regime were cordial. The objective of the talks was to soften visa formalities and initiate a new accord.

The group is examining the modalities for streamlining the visa procedures and will give final shape to a bilateral visa accord. India and Pakistan have a restrictive visa regime, under which nationals of the two countries are granted city-specific visas and are obliged to report to the police authorities periodically. The deep suspicion between the two countries is said to be the prime reason for the restrictive visa regime. Despite promises from time to time, the visa restrictions have virtually remained in place.