ISLAMABAD: A trade delegation from the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has put off a visit to India in view of the cloud in relations following the Mumbai blasts, a delegation member said.

The 100-member delegation was due to enter through the Wagah border on July 31 for a five-day visit to India, including stopovers in Chandigarh, Shimla and New Delhi.

"The FPCCI has decided to postpone the visit in view of the current political situation after the Mumbai catastrophe," Tariq Saaed, former president of the trade body and one of the delegates for the visit, was reported as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

He said it was not possible to go to India under the circumstances "as the hosts might be reluctant in showing good gestures of hospitality and have some reservations in their minds."

Last week, two Indian members of Parliament, Brinda Karat and Sandeep Dixit, cancelled a visit to Islamabad, citing the Mumbai blasts.

They were to participate in a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meet on gender issues.

But individual visitors from Pakistan to India do not appear as deterred by the negative atmosphere that the Mumbai blasts seem to have generated.

Indian officials here said they got a few calls last week asking if visas were still being processed.

However, there was no reduction in the number of visa applications received daily - about 400 to 500 — and in that of visas issued as well, they clarified.

"Every month, we get about 12,000-13,000 applications, and we issue more than 8,000 visas. We have not noticed any drop in these numbers in the past few days," an official said.

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