The Hindu : National : Pakistan poll chief invited to India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

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National

Pakistan poll chief invited to India

By Amit Baruah

NEW DELHI, AUG. 3. The Chief Election Commissioner has invited his Pakistani counterpart to visit India to exchange experiences as part of proposals exchanged by the two countries today under the rubric of "promotion of friendly exchanges".

Delegations led by the Indian and Pakistani Culture Secretaries, Neena Ranjan and Ali Abbas Jalali, met here this morning to exchange proposals in art and culture, education, science and technology, youth affairs and sports, media, tourism, prisoner exchanges, visa regimes and visits to places of religious importance.

From the Indian side, officials from the External Affairs, Home, Culture, Education and Information & Broadcasting Ministries were present at the discussions. The Director-General (External Publicity), the Joint Secretary (Interior Ministry), the Joint Secretary (Religious Affairs) and a senior Foreign Ministry official were part of the Pakistani delegation.

Pilgrimages

A Pakistani source told this correspondent that Islamabad wanted an increase in the number of pilgrims coming to places of religious importance and proposed measures to increase the "comfort level" of prisoners in the custody of the two countries.

Separately, sources in the External Affairs Ministry said India proposed the increased exchange of a large variety of artists from different fields. The exchange of exhibitions and publications was also proposed.

Ban on TV channels

On the media front, India called upon Pakistan to remove the ban on Indian television channels. New Delhi also proposed setting up a Joint Working Group to prevent piracy of Indian films and music.

India also suggested (a proposal first made during talks on promotion of friendly exchanges in November 1998) the introduction of a 14-day tourist visa to specific places of tourist interest. These tours could be organised by the Delhi Transport Corporation and the Pakistani Tourism Development Corporation. Greater cooperation between tour operators' associations was also proposed.

Visa liberalisation

New Delhi also favoured the liberalisation of the visa regime on a reciprocal basis for businesspersons, students, journalists, children, reputed artists and those attending conferences in the two nations.

In the area of educational exchanges, India called for cooperation between libraries of the two countries, the holding of book affairs and joint seminars on elementary education. Closer cooperation between the University Grants Commission and its Pakistani counterpart was also proposed.

Civilian prisoners

With reference to the India-Pakistan agreement on civilian prisoners reached in June, the exchange of lists of civilian prisoners was under process, the sources said. In this connection, India and Pakistan had to amend the 1982 protocol on consular access to increase the number of jails officials could visit.

India also reiterated that Pakistan trace and release 54 Indian Prisoners of War (PoWs) involved in the 1971 war.

Without being specific, the sources stated that India had also proposed exchanges between "institutions of excellence" in the field of science and technology.

The Pakistani delegation also called on the Information, Broadcasting and Culture Minister, Jaipal Reddy, this afternoon.

A dinner and a qawwali programmes are on the cards for the Pakistani guests this evening. Talks between the Indian and Pakistani delegations will continue tomorrow.

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