NEW DELHI: India is open to host Pakistan's interior minister Rehman Malik on November 22.
Pakistan -- which wanted Malik to visit India in November 11-12 for operationalisation of the new visa agreement between the two countries -- has to indicate the final date soon as New Delhi turned down that dates suggested by Islamabad due to Diwali on November 13.
New Visa agreement between the two countries may be operationalised during Malik's visit. Malik will also go to Ajmer and Agra during the visit.
"Since the Pakistan's Cabinet has finally ratified the liberalised visa agreement, it can now be operationalised any day. If Pakistan confirms Malik's visit on or around November 22, it may be operationalised during that period", said a home ministry source.
The matter was discussed between Indian home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Malik when they met on sidelines of the Interpol General Assembly in Rome, Italy on November 5.
Modalities are, meanwhile, being worked out to bring the new visa regime into effect simultaneously in both the countries in such a way that it can be formalized jointly by home minister Shinde and his Pakistani counterpart Rehman Malik.
One of the options is to issue 'group' visa to citizens of both countries at the same time and have the first batch of visitors from India and Pakistan welcomed by Shinde and Malik jointly in a function at Wagah border post.
The new visa agreement - introducing for the first time group tourist and pilgrim visas and separate visas for businessmen - was signed in September during the visit of the then Indian foreign minister SM Krishna to Islamabad.
Sources said India had earlier planned to operationalize at least the group visa component of the agreement by notifying the rules on October 1 with other parts of the pact being taken up in a staggered manner over the month. Pakistan also had, more or less, a similar plan, they added.
But now, officials are working to notify the rules for all components of the new visa agreement in one go and make it operational in both the countries simultaneously.
The new visa pact has replaced the 38-year-old restrictive visa agreement and has paved the way for time-bound visa approval and greater people-to-people contacts and boost trade.
While there was no time-frame for issuance of non-diplomatic visas, the new pact says visa has to be issued within a period not exceeding 45 days of application. Under the new regime, one can visit five places instead of three at present and those above 65 years of age and children below 12 years and "eminent" businessmen are exempt from police reporting.
The new group tourist visa will be issued for not less than 10 people and not more than 50 people. This visa will be valid for 30 days and will have to be applied through tour operators registered by the two governments.
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