Sushma Swaraj’s Diwali gift: Visas to all Pakistanis with pending medical cases

Taking to Twitter, Sushma Swaraj said, "On the auspicious occasion of Deepawali, India will grant medical Visa in all deserving cases pending today."

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External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj (Express Photo/Tashi Tobgyal/File)

On the occasion of Diwali, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday announced that India will grant medical visas to all Pakistanis with deserving cases for treatment in the country. Taking to Twitter, Swaraj said, “On the auspicious occasion of Deepawali, India will grant medical Visa in all deserving cases pending today.”

Swaraj’s announcement comes days after she directed the Indian High Commission in Pakistan to issue visas for a string of patients, including a child suffering from eye cancer, a bone marrow transplant patient and to two others for liver transplant surgeries.

On the auspicious occasion of Deepawali, India will grant medical Visa in all deserving cases pending today. @IndiainPakistan

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) October 19, 2017

On Thursday, the foreign minister also responded to a tweet by a Pakistani national to visit her father in New Delhi who is undergoing a liver transplant. “Please contact Indian High Commission in Pakistan,” she had said, “We will allow this.”

Many politicians took to Twitter on Thursday to greet the nation on Diwali. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hoped the auspicious festival brings prosperity, good health and happiness to all. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also extended Diwali wishes: “On the auspicious occasion of Diwali, I pray for good health, joy, and spiritual wellness to everyone.” Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi also wished everyone saying, “May this festival bring happiness to all.”

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