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India, Pakistan MPs brainstorm on liberal
visas, media role
Thursday August 23, 2012 07:48:21 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi: In a
confidence-building exercise, the parliamentarians of India and
Pakistan Thursday held a wide-ranging dialogue that focused on
easing the visa regime and the role of media in promoting peace
between the two subcontinental neighbours.
The Pakistani parliamentary delegation, led by Senator Sabir Ali
Baloch, deputy chairperson of the Pakistan Senate, engaged in
intense discussions with Indian MPs led by Yashwant Sinha, a
senior BJP leader and a former foreign minister, and Congress'
Mani Shankar Aiyar.
Besides Sinha and Aiyar, many other Indian MPs joined the
dialogue. They included Satyavrat Chaturvedi, Naresh Gujral,
Kanimozhi, Kirti Azad, Supriya Sule and B.J. Panda.
The MPs from both sides discussed the opportunities of deepening
ties between the two countries and focused the easing of the visa
regime, the role of media, education and local government in
promoting stronger relations between the two countries. They also
reviewed and analysed the progress in the official dialogue
between the two countries.
India and Pakistan have finalised an agreement for liberalising
the visa regime, but the signing of this accord has been deferred
as Islamabad is keen that such an important agreement should be
signed at the political level between home ministers of the two
countries.
"The Pakistani side informed that some internal approvals were
under process and the agreement will be signed once they are in
place," Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed told the
Rajya Sabha Thursday.
The two-day India-Pakistan parliamentarians dialogue seeks to
discuss all issues that affect bilateral relations and will focus
on exploring ways to promote trade and boost people-to-people
contacts with a view to bridging trust deficit between the two
countries.
On Friday, the MPs are expected to discuss opportunities of
collaboration in the area of health while also developing
recommendations to enhance the scope of the MPs' Dialogue.
The parliamentarians are expected to press for a resolution of
humanitarian issues, like the release of prisoners in each other's
territory that has the potential to create a lot of goodwill
between the two countries.
The dialogue is being facilitated by the Pakistan Institute of
Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), a think-tank
that works for strengthening democracy and democratic institutions
in Pakistan.
The dialogue takes place weeks before External Affairs Minister
S.M. Krishna goes to Islamabad for talks with Pakistani Foreign
Minister Hina Rabbani Khar to review the second round of dialogue
after the two sides revived their ties following a long hiatus
after the 26/11 terror attacks.
While Krishna and Khar will discuss contentious issues like terror
and Kashmir, the two ministers are also expected to discuss
strengthening of cross-border trade and travel linkages.
On Saturday, the Pakistani parliamentarians will leave for Patna
where they will meet Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
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