Pakistan's easy visa policy excludes Indians

Islamabad, Sep 28: Pakistan will be issuing visas on arrival to visitors from more than 20 countries, but not from neighbouring India, Tourism Ministry officials said today, clarifying a report by the state-run news agency a day earlier.

Associated Press of Pakistan had quoted Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar as saying that Indian tourists would also be able to collect visas on arrival at Pakistani airports, but her ministry moved quickly to dismiss any notion that a thaw in relations between South Asia's nuclear rivals had gone so far.

A statement from the Tourism Ministry said the minister was ''misquoted'' and the only concession to Indian tourists and pilgrims would be an increase in the duration of their visas.

India and Pakistan launched a peace process in 2004, having fought three wars since their independence from Britain in 1947, and both governments say they wish to encourage people-to-people contact.

While the numbers of Indians and Pakistanis visiting each other's country has risen, the numbers are still small relative to the size of populations.

Reuters