India assures medical visa to another Pakistani national

Pakistani seeking to donate kidney to fellow Pakistani undergoing treatment at Delhi hospital

Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has assured a medical visa to another Pakistani national who wants to donate a kidney to a fellow national undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi, said a Hindustan Times report.



“Pls don’t worry. I am asking Indian High Commission to give visa for the second donor,” Swaraj tweeted in response to a request from one Faiza Malik, who said her nephew Faraz Malik was undergoing treatment at Fortis Hospital.

Pls don't worry. I am asking Indian High Commission to give visa for the second donor. @IndiainPakistan https://t.co/lrd3sYHhr1

— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 17, 2017

According to Malik, the doctors had rejected the previous donor and now a visa was required for another donor Abdul Razzaq.

Ties between Pakistan and India soured when Swaraj earlier this year announced that only a letter of recommendation by then Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz would enable a Pakistani national to get a medical visa for India.

The Foreign Office, on November 15, lamented India’s policy of denying medical visas to Pakistani patients and informed reporters that a Pakistani cancer patient, who was snubbed by India, had returned home after a successful surgery in Turkey.

Flanked by Osama Ali Khan, who had to travel to Turkey for liver cancer treatment after India denied him a medical visa, Dr Muhammad Faisal said New Delhi was playing politics over humanitarian issues.



“India is continuing to impose a condition on Pakistani patients seeking medical treatment in India that they must possess a reference letter from the foreign minister to be granted a visa,” he told reporters at a press conference.

This story originally appeared on Hindustan Times.