The Hindu : Karnataka News : Pakistan envoy for `people-to-people' contact

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 04, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Pakistan envoy for `people-to-people' contact

By Laiqh A. Khan and Sharath S. Srivatsa

By Laiqh A. Khan and

Sharath S. Srivatsa

MYSORE, FEB. 3. Tourism will help improve bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, Aziz Ahmed Khan, said here on Thursday.

He told The Hindu here that issue of tourist visas would be part of the composite dialogue between the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries.

Mr. Khan, who was on a short visit to Mysore, said: "People-to-people contact" will remove any misunderstanding and promote harmony between the two neighbours.

At present, only visit visas are issued to the members of the divided families living on either side of the border. "We don't have any agreement yet on tourist visas. It will be part of the agenda for the composite dialogue process," Mr. Khan said. There are several places of interest in India, which can attract Pakistani tourists.

Potential

Mr Khan, who visited the mausoleum of 18th century warrior king Tipu Sultan at Sriranagapatna near here, described the erstwhile ruler of Mysore as one of the important personalities in the sub-continent's history. Srirangapatna holds the potential to emerge as a prominent destination in India when tourist inflow from Pakistan begins. "Although there are several places of tourist importance in India, Pakistanis will want to visit Srirangapatna," he said.

Before arriving in Mysore, Mr. Khan visited Tipu's summer palace and drove through the ruins of the Srirangapatna Fort. Later, he visited St. Philomena's Church, Mysore palace, and Lalith Mahal palace which has been converted into a hotel.

Visas

When Mr. Khan was asked about the issue of visas for cricket fans during the coming cricket series between the arch rivals, he said it was for his Indian counterpart in Islamabad to answer that question. "During the cricket series in Pakistan last year, we issued 12,000 visas for Indian fans to watch the matches there," he said.

Mr. Khan's statement on tourist visas assumes significance in view of expert opinion that tourism can help revamp economic ties between the two nations and open up a new range of business opportunities.

The High Commissioner saw a huge potential for cooperation between the two countries in the field of Information Technology and related areas. "IT in Pakistan is growing. But certainly it is not as advanced as it is in India."

The scope for cooperation between India and Pakistan in the field of IT was "huge" as the matter was in the private domain.

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