New Pak-India visa accord fails to take shape

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The much publicized Pakistan-India Visa Agreement signed on September 8, 2012 on the eve of Indian foreign minister’s visit to Islamabad has failed to fulfill the dreams of thousands of people who wanted to see its implementation. Pakistan and India agreed to facilitate visits of veteran citizens and Visa-on-arrival (valid for 45 days) is to be issued to senior citizens (65 years and above) and to children below 12 years at the Wagah-Attari border. The officials failed to take into consideration the fact that 65+ senior citizens or small children cannot travel alone and someone from the family has to go with them. The care-taker has to go through the same old long process and senior citizen will suffer once again despite so much fanfare about new visa regime. Visa seekers from Pakistan including divided family members and senior citizens continue to faces serious hurdles in fulfilling the enormous requirements which not only include a sponsorship from their relatives in India but also attestation of the Sponsorship Form by Indian official or principal of a Government college or school. What is more difficult for Pakistan visa seekers is the requirement of attested copy of Service Card of the official who would attest the sponsorship filled and signed by the Indian relative of Pakistani visa seekers, according to the information available on Indian High Commission website. Minister for Interior Rehman Malik was quoted as saying last week that Pakistan had implemented the new visa regime. However, diplomatic sources say that the implementation may take several months and that is no good news for visa seekers. While Pakistani mission has simplified the requirements for a Pakistan visa for Indians to be presented on a normal Visa Form, the Indian Government requires Pakistanis to fulfill an Online Form with a series of questions and compiles full data of the visa seekers, his or her background, parental or spouse backgrounds and his relatives in India. Indians have made a condition that “Sponsorship certificate is mandatory for all visit visa cases.” Apart from that Indian invitee’s passport (preferred), copy of electricity bill or telephone bill and ration card or Election ID-card, clearly mentioning the address and contact telephone numbers, are also required by the Indian High Commission. The news about liberalization of visa regime three weeks ago had injected a new life to a 75-year old Pakistan lady who is longing to visit her ailing brother in India. Talking to this correspondent the veteran woman said that she had been trying to visit India but her relatives are facing serious difficulties to attest her Sponsorship Form which has been signed by her brother who never came to Pakistan. The new agreement has no good news for her “because the condition that sponsorship certificate should also be countersigned by any of the following Indian government officials (DM/ SP/SDM/ Tehsildar/ BDO/ SHO/ Groups A officer of State and India’s Central Govt. could not be met.” She says that some people who know her brother were ready to certify but no one agreed to meet a more tougher condition that “the Indian government official should also attach a self attested copy of their photo identity card along with his/her contact phone number.”