Indo-Pak frost settles on visas

NEW DELHI: The Big Freeze inIndo-Pakistan ties has hit nationals from both countries like never before.Visas are the hardest hit. Pakistan reduced visas to Indians from 56,500 in 2001to 1,091 in 2002. From 300-400 a day, India issues about threenow.An official at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad says, "Atleast we are issuing visas. Most western countries have practically stoppedissuing visas to Pakistanis."Most visas issued earlier was for thosewith families in India and those who wanted to avail of medical treatment: In2001 several visas were given to children suffering from heart abnormalities;they wanted treatment at AIIMS, Narayana Hrudayalaya in Bangalore and ChristianMedical College in Vellore.Travel too was affected after December31, 2001, when India cut off road, train and air links with Pakistan. Earlier,the bi-weekly Sam-jhauta Express ferried 4,000-5,000 passengers daily eitherway. The train fare was less than Rs 1,000 per passenger. The bulk of tradebetween both countries was also via train. But now nationals from both countriescan visit each other only via Dubai or Kathmandu, and the fare works out to Rs40,000.The recent diplomatic spat between both countries has onlyworsened matters. The official says, "The first reaction of several Pakistanifamilies on hearing of acting high commissioner Sudhir Vyas'' expulsion was oneof alarm. ‘How are we going to get our relatives treated in India?'' theyasked us over the phone."India granted Pakistan Most Favoured Nationstatus in 1993, but this was not reciprocated. As a result, Pakistan imports 600items, including chemicals, dyes, engineering goods, textiles and machinery,from India via Dubai and Singapore and paying through its nose for them.Medicines cost 20 times more in Pakistan than they do in India.Thenumber of Pakistani nationals here will now see a further decline. There are8,884 Pakistani nationals who have overstayed and another 2,324 who havedisappeared without a trace — the government plans to crack down on them,says minister of state for home Vidyasagar Rao. "Now there will be 100 per centpre-verification of visa forms, and local sponsors will be made responsible forthe whereabouts of the visitor."The view from this side of theborder is just as bleak. "Only well-to-do Indians who want to attend a familyfunction such as a wedding are applying for visas. So people joke we are onlyissuing wedding visas," said an official at the Pakistani High Commissionhere.However, MNC executives on both sides enjoy business visas withmultiple entries. In 2002, Pakistan granted 300 visas to Indianbusinessmen.