MPs call for early liberalization of visa regime between Pakistan and India

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Concluding the fourth round of Pakistan-India Parliamentarians Dialogue, the parliamentarians from the two countries called for early liberalization of visa regime between both countries. The parliamentarians also urged that through the liberal visa regime, citizens of both Pakistan and India should be given visas exempted from police reporting to avoid undue harassment. They also underlined that health-related travel and religious tourism in both countries must be facilitated as a priority by both countries. Exchange of artists and media persons must also be accelerated by the two sides. The parliamentarians emphasized that educationists and senior citizens from the two countries must be allowed visa-free access.
They also said that the two sides must also swiftly move towards allowing citizens to travel across the border in their own vehicles. The two-day dialogue began with discussion on the developments in the official Pak-India Dialogue. Parliamentarians specifically discussed visas, education, health, local government and the role of media. Specific recommendations by the parliamentarians on each of these themes have been included in the joint statement given at the conclusion of the two-day dialogue. For the future dialogues, parliamentarians have agreed to focus on sectoral issues such as agriculture, irrigation, energy (including renewable energy), information technology and others as also general issues such as strengthening democracy and promoting accountability in public life.