New Delhi, Aug 11: As part of the continuing momentum of improving relations, India and Pakistan today exchanged visas of officials, 19 from India and 17 from Pakistan, to strengthen their respective missions. The officials from both sides are going as replacements to their respective missions in Islamabad and New Delhi, maintaining the mission strength at 47.
The lists of these officials were coordinated and passports handed over today at both ends, MEA officials said.
Following the December 13 terror attack on Parliament, India had decided to reduce by 50 per cent its staff strength of 110 at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. This went down further to 47. The two sides have also had a spate of tit-for-tat expulsions in the last two years.
Since Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's initiative of April 18, the two sides have appointed high commissioners, resumed Delhi-Lahore bus service and had several exchanges of visits to promote people-to-people and trade and economic ties.
Technical-level talks on the issue of resumption of civil aviation links will be held in Islamabad later this month. India is considering Pakistan's proposal for re-starting rail links between the two countries. Bureau Report