Pakistan, India launch historic visa accord

NEW DELHI: Pakistan and India Friday formalized the new eased visa agreement between the two neighbouring countries, Geo News reported.

According to details Interior Minister Rehman Malik, and his Indian counterpart, Sushil Kumar Shinde, at a ceremony held in New Delhi, pressed a button to launch the new visa regime.

Under the the new visa accord, travelers will be able to visit five cities, while children under the age of 12 and the elderly as well as big investors will be exempt from police reporting.

Besides putting the of new visa regime into effect, the two interior ministers' also discussed counter-terrorism, border management, fake Indian currency notes and cooperation among security/investigation agencies.

Malik will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj on 15 December, they said.

The official delegation accompanying Malik includes members from interior ministry, foreign ministry, and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) among others. This is Malik’s first official visit to india.

From the Indian side, besides Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, his junior RPN Singh and senior officials from home ministry, external affairs ministry and various security agencies would take part in the deliberations.