Tag Archives: Rehman Malik

New Visa Agreement Signed by India and Pakistan

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Shri Sushilkumar Shinde, Home Minister of India and Mr. A. Rehman Malik, Pakistan Interior Minister jointly operationalized the new Visa Agreement between India and Pakistan on 14th December, 2012 at New Delhi. However, the Visa-on-Arrival will come into effect from 15th January, 2013 and the Group Tourist Visa from 15th March, 2013. A Circular to this effect was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs today to all the Indian Missions, State Governments/ Union Territories, Foreigners Regional Registration Officers (FRROs), FROs and all concerned.

Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan had signed on 8th September, 2012, a new Visa Agreement to facilitate travel for the nationals of both countries desirous of travelling to the other country and to promote people to people contact.

Key features of the new Visa Agreement are as below:

Visitor Visa

• Places of visit allowable increased from three to five places

• In exceptional cases visitor visa for one year could be issued in the past. Now provision made for issue of visa upto two years in following cases:

a.Persons above 65 years of age
b.National of one country married to national of the other country.
c. Children below 12 years accompanying parents in (b) above

Visa on Arrival can be granted at Attari/Wagah check-post to persons more than 65 years of age for 45 days with single entry (effective from 15th January, 2013).

Business Visa

Exemption from Police Reporting for Business visa granted to businessmen with an annual income above Pak Rs. 5 million or equivalent or annual turnover above Pak Rs. 30 million or equivalent.

Group Tourist Visa

• Group Tourist Visa for 30 days may be issued for travel in groups, with not less than 10 members and not more than 50 members in each group, organized by approved tour operators/travel agents (effective from 15th March, 2013).

Entry and exit

• Now entry and exit from different designated Immigration Check Posts can be allowed, if indicated in application.

• However, exit from Wagha/Attari on foot cannot be accepted unless the entry was also on foot via Attari/Wagah.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that the New Visa Agreement will facilitate easy movement of people across the two countries.

The Pakistan Interior Minister, Mr. A Rehman Malik said that he has come to India with a message of peace and assured that Pakistan Government will take all possible steps to work together with India for moving forward for the sake of future generations.

During the visit of Pak Interior Minister, the Indian and Pakistan delegations are also holding a bilateral meeting on issues that include counter terrorism border management, fake Indian Currency Notes and cooperation among security and investigation agencies.

The official delegation accompanying the Pakistan Interior Minister includes Members from Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Federal Administration and High Commission of Pakistan in India.

Singh-Gilani Declare ‘New Chapter’ in Ties

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India and Pakistan talked about writing “a new chapter” in their accident-prone ties, with Islamabad assuring New Delhi that the terrorists behind the Mumbai carnage, that virtually froze relations between the neighbours, will be brought to justice soon.

Meeting on the sidelines of the 17th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit here, the two leaders held delegation-level talks for around half an hour in a seaside beach cottage at the idyllic Shangri La resort hotel and followed it up with nearly 45 minutes of one-on-one talks.

With relations having languished since the cataclysmic 26/11 terror attacks nearly three years ago, the two sided agreed to push a host of initiatives, including the revival of the joint commission, a preferential trade agreement and liberal visa regime.

India conveyed to Pakistan the imperative need to punish perpetrators of 26/11 carnage and underlined that terror should not be allowed to spoil improving relations between them.

Pakistan promised to conclude the trial of the Mumbai terror accused in its custody and declared that Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving 26/11 terrorist, should be hanged.

In a sign of the new spirit of mutual accommodation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousaf Raza Gilani agreed to open a new chapter in ties and hoped the next round of talks will be “more productive and constructive.”

Coming out after their meeting, the two smiled and made brief statements before the media in which they virtually echoed each other in their desire to start a new phase in relations.

Describing Gilani as “man of peace,” Manmohan Singh said that the dialogue process, which the two countries resumed early this year, have yielded positive results, but stressed that “more needs to be done.

“We have decided that we will resume this dialogue with the expectation that all issues which have bedeviled the relations between our two countries will be discussed with all the sincerity that our two countries can bring to bear on these talks,” said Manmohan Singh.

Saying that “the destinies of people of India and Pakistan are very closely linked,” the prime minister stressed that “we have wasted lot of time in the past in acrimonious debates.

“The time has come to write a new chapter in the history of our relationship.” Saying that Gilani fully endorsed this view, he said that “the next round of talks should be far more productive, far more result-oriented in bringing the two countries closer to each other than ever before.”

Gilani, too, struck an upbeat note. “We had a good meeting”.

He said the next round of the talks would be “more constructive, more positive, and will open a new chapter in the history of both the countries.”

“We have very openly discussed all issues including all core issues. We have discussed, the Prime Minister and we have been very open,” he said while alluding to discussions on water, terror, Sir creek, Siachen glacier and Kashmir.

Saying that the two sides are “moving in a positive direction,” Gilani also assured that “all possible steps were being taken in the context of the joint fight against terror.”

Briefing reporters after the talks, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said that the prime minister conveyed that the period of “accusations and counter-accusations was behind us,” and stressed on key initiatives that emerged from the talks that included the revival of the joint commission and the signing of a visa agreement.

Building on positive momentum generated by Pakistan granting India Most Favoured Nation status, Mathai said the two countries are now planning to move towards a preferential trade agreement.

he two sides also decided to fast-track implementation of cross-border trade and confidence-building measures that were finalized in July. Commerce secretaries will meet Nov 14 in New Delhi. This will be followed by talks between home secretaries in December that will focus on terror and security-related issues. There is a plan to arrange a meeting between water secretaries as well to sort out shared river water disputes.

Manmohan Singh told Gilani that “it is imperative to bring the perpetrators of 26/11 attacks to justice”, said Mathai. The Pakistani side promised to bring the trial of the seven 26/11 terrorists who are in Pakistani custody to conclusion and pointed that the judicial commission, that will be visiting India soon, will positively impact the judicial process of bringing 26/11 perpetrators to justice.

In a surprisingly blunt assertion, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik declared that Ajmal Kasab is a non-state actor, a convicted terrorist and should be sent to the gallows.

“Kasab is a terrorist, a non-state actor who should go to gallows and his accomplices too,” said Malik.

By IANS

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Kasab Should Be Hanged: Rehman Malik

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Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted by an Indian court for the 26/11 Mumbai attack, is a terrorist and should be sent to the gallows, Pakistan‘s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said after delegation level talks between the two countries.

He said the Pakistani judicial commission looking into the terror attack would be coming to India soon and would positively impact the trial of those accused in the Mumbai terror attack.

Kasab Should Be Hanged: Rehman Malik

“The judicial commission has a limited mandate. They’ll be in India any time after we hear from the Indian side. They will submit the report after the visit which is going to give a positive impact to the judicial process (of 26/11),” Malik told reporters at the Shangri La Hotel.

Talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan’s Yousuf Raza Gilani were preceded by delegation level discussions between the two countries.

The judicial commission report, Malik said, would help plug the legal lacuna and move forward the trial of those accused in the Nov 26 Mumbai terror attack.

India had last week welcomed Pakistan’s decision to send a judicial commission to interview witnesses connected with the 26/11 terror probe.

“We look forward to the visit of the judicial commission,”Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai had told reporters Nov 5.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner Shahid Malik has conveyed to Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram that the Pakistani government would soon be sending the commission to take forward the process of bringing to justice the perpetrators and conspirators of the Mumbai carnage.

The commission is expected to record the statements of Mumbai Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate R.V. Sawant Waghule and investigating officer Ramesh Mahale, who had recorded the confessional statement of Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted of the terror attack.

Islamabad has contended that the charges against seven LeT militants, including its ‘operation commander’ Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who are currently lodged in a Pakistani jail, were based on Kasab’s statement and hence the magistrate and the investigating officer’s statements were necessary to furnish before the anti-terror court.

At least 166 people were killed in the 26/11 attack by 10 Pakistan-based terrorists in Mumbai.

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China Vows to Stand by Pakistan

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Chinese Vice Premier Meng Jianzhu Tuesday told Pakistan that Beijing will keep on supporting Islamabad and the cooperation to eliminate terrorism will continue. The assurance comes amidst deteriorating ties between Pakistan and the US.

US officials have accused Pakistan and its spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence, of supporting Al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network. Pakistan has denied the accusations.

China Vows to Stand by Pakistan

Meng Jianzhu Tuesday met Interior Minister Rehman Malik, discussing a host of bilateral issues, including war against terror.

Both leaders discussed matters pertaining to mutual interests and the emerging geo-strategic situation of the region, reported Online news agency.

The Chinese vice premier arrived here Monday on a two-day official visit to hold talks with the Pakistani leadership.

The visit by the Chinese leader, who holds the public security portfolio, comes at a time of intense strain between Islamabad and Washington with the US pressurising Pakistan to launch an offensive against suspected militant elements in North Waziristan tribal agency.

Meng told journalists that China stands firm with Pakistan in bad and good times.

He reaffirmed China’s continuing support to Pakistan in its fight against militancy and promotion of regional peace and stability.

Rehman Malik thanked China for its support to Pakistan on all issues of major concern to the country and its people.

Malik said that China’s enemy is Pakistan’s enemy.

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