NDA government is making it easy for Pakistani tourists to visit Jammu and Kashmir
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New Delhi: In a major move, the NDA government is making it easy for Pakistani tourists to visit Jammu and Kashmir with the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) deciding to take a lenient view and fast-track their visas.
This is the first time that the government is mulling making it easy for Pakistani nationals to visit “the crown of India”. So far, Pakistani nationals had a tough time getting Indian visas, particularly if J&K was among their destinations in India.
The move is expected to send a clear signal that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is willing to allow people-to-people contact even as New Delhi stands firm on its tough anti-terror approach towards Pakistan. The proposal comes before the SCO Summit in Russia next week and the possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif.
Top government sources said there is a substantial inflow from Pakistani cities like Lahore, Peshawar, Multan and Rawalpindi of tourists keen to visit Kashmir. The MHA has asked security agencies to fast-track their security verification process in 21 days. At present, all visa applications of Pakistani nationals are routed through the home ministry as Pakistan falls in the high-risk category.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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