ISLAMABAD, May 9: Pakistan has imposed reciprocal restrictions on Indian nationals travelling on Saarc Visa Exemption Stickers in view of continued breach by India of the ‘guidelines and procedures’ agreed by all member states.
The foreign affairs ministry had conveyed the decision to the Saarc Secretariat, which had informed the member states about it, diplomatic sources told Dawn on Wednesday.
The government in its communication to the secretariat in Kathmandu a few days back underscored that it had taken the decision after exhausting all options to find an amicable solution to the breach of the agreed procedures and guidelines, the sources said. Pakistan had, however, indicated that it would be ready to lift the restrictions at any time on reciprocal basis, they said.
Noting that since India had failed to provide any justification for breach of procedures and guidelines operational for almost a decade, Pakistan informed the secretariat that: “The gvernment of Pakistan is constrained to impose similar restrictions on Indian nationals travelling on Saarc Visa Exemption Stickers with immediate effect. Indian officials serving at the secretariat would also need to comply with these additional measures.”
Under the Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme introduced in March 1992 the holder of the sticker is entitled to one-month stay without restrictions on the number of cities to be visited. Notwithstanding this, in September 2006 the Indian immigration authorities introduced additional restrictive measures on Pakistani delegates attending Saarc meetings in India, limiting the validity of the stickers and restricting their movement to a few specific cities. Even Pakistani officials serving at the secretariat had to conform to the restrictive measures.
Pakistan raised the matter on several occasions at different levels. Initially, it flagged the issue at the first meeting of the immigration authorities in New Delhi in September 2006. Afterwards it alerted the Saarc Secretariat and member states in October 2006. The secretariat asked the Indian government to implement the Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme “in its letter and in spirit”.
Subsequently, the issue was taken up by Pakistan at the foreign secretary-level meeting with India in November 2006 and most recently at the 14th Saarc Summit in New Delhi last month. However, Indian immigration authorities went ahead with restrictions on the sticker for all Pakistani diplomats, experts and officials visiting India for Saarc meetings, according to sources.
The restrictions are being applied by India only against Pakistan.
In this context, Pakistan has made it clear that its support for the proposal of establishing the main campus of the South Asian University in India would be conditional till all issues pertaining to free movement of students, teachers, visiting professors and faculty members are resolved.
At the inaugural session of the 14th Saarc Summit, the Indian prime minister had announced in the spirit of ‘full regional connectivity’ unilateral liberalisation of visas for students, teachers, professors, journalists and patients from member states. This has yet to materialise.
