ISLAMABAD: Acting President of Pakistan Farooq H. Naek has stressed
the need for relaxation of visa regime between India and Pakistan to
enhance people to people contacts.
He was expressing these
views while talking to delegates of Punjab and Haryana Bar Council of
India which called on him at Parliament House here on Wednesday.
In
order to remove misperceptions and mistrust between the two countries,
frequent exchange of delegations from both sides at different levels to
boost the strained relations is essential, he added.
Farooq H.
Naek, who is chairman of the senate, said that legal fraternity of both
sides is sitting together as most of the Senators including himself are
lawyers and they can understand each other with the same wave length.
“Only
frequent people to people contacts and exchanges can help resolve the
differences and can lead to positive outcomes like enhanced trade
resulting in the boosting of economies and alleviation of poverty of
people of on both sides of the border.” he said.
Reciprocating,
General Secretary All India Bar Association, Mr. Partap Singh who was
heading 17 members lawyers delegation from India expressed his delight
on warm welcome received here in Pakistan and said that legal
fraternity of two countries shares the same sentiments vis-à-vis
relations of both countries and relaxation of visas is vital for
enhancing people to people contacts and putting the relations on new
pedestal. President Punjab State Bar Association Harpreet Barar said,
“Our roots are here, we share heritage and every one feels nostalgic
while visiting ones roots.”
Naek reiterated his views regarding
visa relaxation and urged Bar Councils of respective countries to adopt
resolutions so that the relevant departments of both the countries can
be pushed further for relaxation of visa regime and instead of city
specific visa there should be country specific visa only. The acting
president said that there should be special visa for lawyers,
Parliamentarians and others and the duration of the visa should be at
least 15 days in order to have elaborate exchange of ideas and the
visitors should be given chance to visit more places.
He said
that the development on confidence building measures should go on
without any hindrance and on visa issue the relaxation must be sought.
Senators
from Pakistan said that the visa issue is very much on the agenda of
CBMs and there is going to be development on this issue for business
community and other important segments of society like
Parliamentarians, lawyers, journalists and artists.
It is pointed out that relaxation of visa can help boost trade links and revive economies of both countries.
At the end the delegates of Indian lawyers’ community thanked the Acting President for hospitality extended to them.
The
meeting was attended by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri besides Senators Muhammad Kazim Khan,
Rehmatullah Kakar, Wasim Sajjad, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Naeem
Hussain Chattha, Afrasaib Khan Khatak, S. M Zafar, Jahangir Badar and
Zafar Ali Shah. Secretary Senate Raja Muhammad Amin was also present on
the occasion. Later the delegates also visited Senate and National
Assembly Halls and were given briefing regarding working of both the
Houses. Online
