09 November 2004	Tuesday	25 Ramazan 1425

NEW DELHI, Nov 8: Human rights activist and Rajya Sabha member Nirmala Deshpande and Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain have appealed to their governments to ease travel restrictions between the two countries and exempt senior citizens (over 60 years of age) from the visa requirement.

At a formal meeting here, they stressed the need for promoting people-to-people contact, between India and Pakistan.

Meanwhile, Mr Hussain in a telephone talk with members of his party's special cell in Karachi, said that Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh with whom he had a detailed meeting two days ago, had assured him that visa facilities would soon be made available in Karachi.

According to Mr Hussain, the minister said that India was ready to open the Kokhrapar route.

"About the opening of Khokhrapar route, Mr Singh said that we are serious about it. There are perhaps some difficulties on the Pakistani side. If it relates to completion of the unfinished portion of the railway track up to the Indian border, Delhi is ready to complete that portion of the railway track to facilitate the resumption of traffic up to Munabao," the MQM chief said.-Agency