The eight-member delegation of retired judges, who were to leave for Pakistan on Wednesday, has been delayed as they did not got their visas.Pakistan High Commission spokesperson Kamran Ali Khan, said: ‘‘There has been a communication gap with Islamabad. Authorities there were not aware the delegation was to leave tomorrow. ’’ Meanwhile, Adish Aggarwala, Vice-Chairman of the Bar Council of India and spokesperson for the delegation, said: ‘‘If the visas arrive tomorrow, we will leave on Thursday, but not later.’’ Pakistan High Commission’s First Secretary (Visas) Dr Aman Rashid added: ‘‘We have received no written directions to issue visas to the delegation. If the situation changes tomorrow, we will issue visas.’’Unable to address the press conference they called here, the team from the Indian Council of Jurists were still awaiting intimation that ought to have arrived from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pakistan before Monday.Aggarwala clarified: ‘‘On Friday, the Deputy High Commissioner asked us to give in applications on Monday, so that visas would be made available the same day.’’ The nine-day ‘‘goodwill’’ visit had been planned on an invitation from the Bar Council of Pakistan. Having left messages at both New Delhi and Islamabad, on Tuesday evening, Aggarwala said: ‘‘Islamabad is fully aware of the development. It is now their duty to respond over the visa issue.’’The delegation comprises Justice G.T. Nanavati, Justice Faizanuddin, Justice A.P. Mishra, Justice D.S. Tewatia, Justice Mohammed Shamim, Justice O.P. Garg, Justice S.I. Jaffrey and BCI Vice-Chairman Adish Aggrawala.Having intimated the Centre about the details of the visit, the delegation had not requested any further assistance. Aggrawala said: ‘‘The government has informed the High Commission in Islamabad and directed us that no sitting judge is to be part of the delegation.’’ While the last proposed visit by judges to Pakistan was called off due to security reasons in 1999, this time the delegation’s itinerary, chalked out by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, includes Lahore, Karachi, Quetta, Islamabad and Ziarat.
