ISLAMABAD: Australia agreed on Wednesday to ease the visa process for Pakistani businessmen and students.

The modalities will be discussed on the sidelines of a coming meeting in Australia of a joint working group of the two countries.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, who is in Canberra for the fifth round of annual bilateral political consultations, raised the issue of difficulties faced by Pakistani applicants in getting Australian visas in his meeting with Australian Immigration and Border Protection Secretary Michael Pezzullo.

Also read: Visa denied to Pakistani Hazara unlawful: Australian High Court

“The meeting was very fruitful. The Australian side expressed its keenness to receive a Pakistan delegation for the Joint Working Group on Border Protection’s meeting,” said a statement issued by the Foreign Office about the meeting held at the Australian immigration and border protection department.

“It was agreed that on the sidelines of the joint working group, experts could discuss mechanisms to facilitate visas.”

At the annual consultations, both sides agreed on broadening and deepening their relationship by promoting trade and increasing the frequency of high-level political engagement.

The Australian delegation was led by the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Varghese.

“Both sides emphasised the need for comprehensive economic engagement to add substance to the relationship. It was also agreed to deepen the two-way political engagement and give an impetus to the bonds of friendship through exchange of high-level delegations, including a visit of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop to Pakistan,” the Foreign Office said.

Foreign Secretary Chaudhry also called on the Australian Capital Territory’s Deputy Chief Minister Simon Corbell and discussed the possibility of declaring Canberra and Islamabad as twin cities.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2015

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