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print versionPakistan Peace Coalition (PPC)
PRESS RELEASE
PPC welcomes Pakistan-India trade accords after commerce ministers’ talks
KARACHI, Feb. 17:
Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC), while welcoming signing of three trade accords between India and Pakistan has called upon the two governments not only to ensure the strict implementation of these agreements but also to follow it up with some essential steps towards facilitating people-to-people contacts at various other levels.
In a statement here on Friday, PPC said that in the context of the not so happy relations between Pakistan and India, the outcome of the just-concluded talks between the commerce ministers of the two countries in Islamabad should be considered as a major step in the direction of improving our mutual relations.
While welcoming the signing of several agreements related to promotion of trade and the promise of a relaxed visa regime for businessmen of the two countries, Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC) has suggested the following measures:
1. The visa relaxation facilities being offered now to businessmen, such as exemption from police reporting and removal of city-specific limitation be extended to cover all the citizens of the two countries without discrimination.
2. The cumbersome exercise of having to attach a slew of different documents with the visa applications be made easier.
3. Issuing of normal Tourist Visas be resumed to enable people to visit popular historical and scenic spots in the two countries.
4. Students and youth of the two countries be encouraged to visit each other’s country by further liberalizing the visa regime for them.
5. Consulates be re-opened in Karachi and Mumbai respectively at the earliest.
6. Newspapers, magazines, books and other publications be allowed unrestricted movement between the two countries.
7. T.V. news channels of the two countries be freed from the existing restrictions.
8. Karachi-Mumbai-Karachi sea route be re-opened for movement of people and cargo.
