Islamabad, Jan 27: Amid speculation about India and Pakistan reopening their consulates in the cities of Mumbai and Karachi, Indian High Commissioner Shivshankar Menon would visit the Pakistani port city from today and explore possibilities of enhancing trade and economic relations between the two countries. Indian officials here said Menon's three-day visit to Karachi was aimed at interacting with the local leaders and officials and discussing with Pakistan's trade bodies the possibilities of improving the trade and economic ties.
He would be the first high-level Indian official to visit Pakistan's southern metropolis in more than two years. Menon's predecessor, Vijay Nambiar, visited the city in 2001 before the relations between the two countries worsened after the attack on the Indian Parliament.
During the visit, Menon is expected to visit five properties owned by the Indian government, including the consulate building in the centre of the city, which has survived several attempts of takeover by local encroachers.
The building was in the news recently when a local businessman claimed to have bought it for Rs 40 lakh.
Speculation is rife about the two countries planning to reopen the consulates in Karachi and Mumbai after President Pervez Musharraf last month hinted at such a possibility during a meeting with Karachi-based parliamentarians.
The issue is expected to figure in the composite dialogue between the two countries, set to begin next month. Bureau Report