When Pak plays in Mohali, India will let the border melt

In a meeting held a day after Natwar Singh’s return from Pakistan, it was decided to also lengthen the period of stay on the special cricket visa from seven to nine days for the Mohali Test.

Those coming for the Mohali Test will be allowed entry into five cities as there may be problems of hotel bookings around the venue. The cities included are Chandigarh, Ambala, Panchkula, Patiala and Ropar. Since nearly half the passengers are expected to arrive by train, two or three special trains will be run from Attari.

The Punjab State Tourism Development Corporation plans to run as many as 50 buses from Attari to ferry Pakistani cricket fans from the border. As reported by The Sunday Express on February 13, the government has allowed fans to cross the Wagah on foot.

This apart, the Indian High Commission in Pakistan is making special arrangements for issuing visas. Two special counters will be opened up at the High Commission in Islamabad and visa camps will be held at Lahore and Karachi. The first camp at Lahore will be on February 25-27 followed by another one in the second half of March for the Delhi one-dayer. The other camp will be at Karachi in the first half of March.

Visas will be issued within 24 hours on the basis of confirmation of tickets. The special counters at the Indian High Commission will begin operating from February 24 and will remain open for the entire duration of the series.

The positive mood has also rubbed off on religious tours. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will travel across the Wagah on March 14 leading a convoy of three buses to inaugurate the four-laning of the road from Lahore to Nankana Sahib.

Foreign ministers of both countries had agreed on a bus between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib. Singh had also discussed the matter with Pervaiz Elahi, the Cheif Minister of Punjab in Pakistan, during his stopover at Lahore. India and Pakistan have also agreed to start a bus service between Amritsar and Lahore.