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Journalism of Courage
With a view to expand people-to-people contact between India and Pakistan, New Delhi today suggested exploring the possibility of starting group tours for tourists from both sides. Proposing this on the first day of the official-level talks on promoting friendly exchanges, India said this could be done by granting group visas.
The details of the tours, according to the Indian proposal, could be worked out between the Delhi Transport Corporation and the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation. It may be noted that the two countries had worked out an agreement on group visas about 20 years ago.
This suggestion was part of the several proposals exchanged between the two delegations today at the start of the two-day talks. The eight-member Pakistani delegation is being led by Syed Jalil Abbas, Secretary for Tourism, Culture, Religious Minority and Youth Affairs while the Indian side is being headed by Culture Secretary Neena Ranjan.
India, sources said, also asked Pakistan to consider removing the ban on Indian TV channels and promote more events such as film festivals. New Delhi has also proposed setting up of a joint working group to tackle piracy of Indian films and music.
The two sides today discussed expanding cooperation in several areas, including art, culture, science and technology, youth affairs and sports, prisoners-related issues and liberalising the visa regime. Incidentally, India also suggested more interaction between the election commissions of the two countries.
New Delhi also took the opportunity to request Islamabad to make another effort to release 54 Indian PoWs who have been in Pakistan custody for over three decades. The need to amend the 1982 protocol on consular access was also suggested.
To promote co-operation in art and culture, the Indian side proposed exchanges of artistes, painters, writers and poets. India has also extended an invitation to Pakistan artistes to participate in the Triennale India exhibition to be organised by Lalit Kala Akademi next year.
Co-operation among libraries, participation in book fairs, holding joint seminars and closer interaction between educational institutions like the UGC and the Pakistan Higher Education Commission were also suggested.
On easing visa restrictions, New Delhi said businessmen could be placed under a special category where a recommendation from the respective chambers of commerce should suffice for granting visas.
