ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan may soon have a new visa regime after India agreed to propose a draft agreement to be discussed by the two sides at the upcoming fifth round of composite dialogue.
Well-place foreign office sources in Islamabad said the neighbours were currently issuing visas as “courtesy” because the agreement of 1974 had become outdated and was no more operational.
Pakistan had earlier proposed a draft agreement for a permanent visa regime, but India rejected it and offered its own version, the sources said. India and Pakistan issue visas to divided families and businessmen as a matter of routine but no other classification gets the benefit. The sources said representatives of the two governments would soon sit across the table to discuss and establish a visa-free regime.
Observers hope the two nations will reach at least one pact on liberalisation of visa regime that would be a landmark improvement in ties.
