Indian government opts against implementing group visa regime on March 15. PHOTO: FILE
“The group tourist visa facility under the liberalized visa regime agreed by India and Pakistan will not be implemented from March 15,” an Indian home ministry official said.
The two countries had agreed to relax stringent visa rules in September last year when Indian external affairs minister S M Krishna visited Islamabad. However, it was formally operationalised during Interior Minister Rehman Malik’s trip to New Delhi in December 2012.
Sources told the Times of India that the Indian government was concerned about infiltration attempts from the border after a recent attack in Srinagar raised concerns over cross-border terrorism.
Two suspected militants disguised as cricketers opened fire with automatic rifles on a paramilitary camp in Srinagar on Wednesday, killing five Indian personnel and wounding five, police said.
In January, India postponed the implementation of the visa-on-arrival facility for senior citizens following an attack along the Line of Control, in which two Indian soldiers were killed.
COMMENTS (56)
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@Rex Minor: how does one assure morals and ethics in a society without a religion and the God almighty.? How about we start with common sense..
@Jat:
The torture is reported to be a norm in North American prisons and those of their 150 satellite bases.. The torture exercised in the gulf countries is usualy reserved for the fellow muslims, who do not speak the language.
Rex Minor
@Vivek:
Well said! But how does one assure morals and ethics in a society without a religion and the God almighty.?
Rex Minor
@Rex Minor: Dear Mr.Rex Minor Here is a comment from a Pakistani in a leading newspaper of Pakistan on his Arab fraternity of whom you are inordinately proud. .."coming back to Mecca, from Madina, by a passenger bus, he and other Pakistani travellers were told, by the Arab bus driver, to disembark from the bus, pick up their luggage and to walk to their hotel, which happened to be at a considerable distance from the point, where the passenger bus was brought to a halt. The protests and entreaties of the passengers remained unheeded The Arab driver pointed out that beyond that point only Arabic speaking passengers had been allowed the privilege to move forward in a passenger bus, and that the said facility was not available to or could be claimed by non-Arabs."
@1984: You have a point. The USA is on notice; they cannot continue to utilise more tan 25% of world energy output, while the emerging economies such as that of India and China, require more energy to maintain teir growth.
Rex Minor
@LalaGee .......................... “Is Hinduism a Religion ? Truly speaking, when we talk of Hinduism, we do not know whether we are talking about a religion, or a group of religions, or a group of beliefs and traditions, some of which are diametrically opposed to each other. This some times gives rise to the argument that Hinduism cannot be considered as a religion in the strictest sense of the word, but as a complex theology that incorporates into itself many religious thoughts, practices, doctrines and world > views.”
SO ?
@Rex Minor: One must be naive to ignore the reality that Arabia feeds the world energy requirements.
I think you're trollling me again....I do agree that Arabia was on the pinnacle of scientific development in the pre-industrial period....But I dont know how Arabia stakes its claim on energy requirement...
They were sitting on top of oil,but for centuries didnt know what to do... It was the help of Rudolph Diesel and Karl Benz,we could find the use of petroleum and of course,Henry Ford's contribution in mass scale production of automobiles....
Dont worry,soon US and Canada will the biggest exporters of oil and Arabs will be sent back to their place
I wonder how Hinduism is the oldest religion? When none of other religion books have any narration on this religion or any person reference neither the first human on this planet was a Hindu
@1984:
Arab language is not the oldest language in the world! Hieroglyphs is older than the Arabic. One must be naive to ignore the reality that Arabia feeds the world energy requirements.
Rex Minor
@gp65: Your comments confirm my assessment. People of India and Pakistan do not seek peace, their respective Govts reflect your wishes. THere are no terrorist organisations in Pakistan, you call resistance terrorists. Indian military is terrorising Kashmiris, show no regard for the restraints Pakistan military is exercising, and the congress party is willy nilly trying to hold on to Kashmir at the perils of a nuclear confrontation. This is not a prudent policy nor a good neighbourly relations.either.
Rex Minor .
@Lala Gee: Whatever makes you happy, but the fact remains as the world knows it. Pakistan wasn't there prior to to 1947!! Just analyze and ponder over Pakistan's achievement after its birth: Anti-secularist, military state, epicenter of terror, enemy of iran-afganistan-usa-india-europe-bangladesh, identity-crises, minority butchering... and countless other such achievements !!
@Rex Minor: "India is an anomoly in the region, seeks confrontation and in return Pakistan successive Govts.has been offering talks and more talks. ppp Rabbani has followed course. There is no more time left for talks"
Pakistan's words of peace do not match its actions. I agree there is nothing left to negotiate with a country which does not know to honour its commitments. Of course talks continued between US and USSR also during cold war to prevent if possible a warIncidentally every war between Pakistan and India was started by Pakistan. Even recently, it is Pakistan which has been poking India - deliberately lying to its people about India stealing water when India has always honoured its commitment, refused to honour its commitment about MFN when India kept its word, allows banned anti-India terror organizations to openly raise funds, passes parliament resolutions in favour of terrorists and so on.
@abc: Thank god you are grateful for something.
You should be happy with what you have in your hand.
There is a famous saying in the English language: "A bird in hand is better than two in the bush".
@abc: Thank god you are grateful for something.
@Lala Gee: India being called 'Incredible' is not a mere paper slogan but a reality on ground. The origin of Hindus, Sikhs, Budhists, Jainis, Christians including Indian Muslims is from India of pre-partition era who follow their own culture and respective religions in this country without any discrimination from the majority community and do not fake their identities and origin. Minorities whom you have commented being treated as insects are occupying PM, Vice President, Army Chief, Congress President and many other high posts in this country and the same has been achieved since India is a secular country. Had Pakistan adopted secularism as propogated by Mr Jinnah, it would have been prosperous as well as peaceful.
@lalagee
Try once more. Go back and read what I have written carefully and see if it co relates to what you have written.
May be taking a chill pill will help you collate your thoughts. No hurry, I am here.
@Rex Minor: There goes Rex Minor with his assertions that everything originated from Arabia....Didn't you say long ago in another blog that Arabic is the oldest language in the world??? though another guy showed proof that there are many other languages older than that....
Could you please provide links to the article which says that humans originated in a barren desert land called Arabia ,than in fertile river beds like the Nile,Tigris,Indus and Hwang Ho.....
and please dont go into your rant about Goethe,Emmanuel Kant,Voltaire etc to divert the topic
P.S. Links from blogs of random people and Pakistankakhudahafiz are not considered as valid proof...
@Rex Minor: Why don't you go back to your arab land ? Look what they do to your fellow citizens
450 Pakistanis tortured in Bahrain
You personally deserve worse...
@rex minor
LOLLL
@Vivek:
"On the contrary 99% of Pakistanis seem to believe that they are of arab/tajik/uzbek/afghan/turk/persian.. origin as elucidated in this article written by a Pakistani columnist."
The first sentence of the article you are referring to of the said respectable columnist says: "Every single Muslim in the subcontinent believes s/he is of Arab descent.". Well, here I am, refuting his assertions, and most of the Pakistanis would also do the same. Enough to prove him a lier.
"Even assuming that you are the original inhabitants, you have lost that claim the day you adopted the Arabic culture in letter and deed. And we the inhabitants of the land called India are still preserving that original culture."
In simple words, Muslims of the sub-continent lost all rights the moment they embraced another religion and left Hinduism. Okay! What about the Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. Isn't their culture and religious followings quite different from Hindus as well? Perhaps this is the reason why all the minorities in India were treated like insects during several of their pogroms with the active collusion of state. Please don't give us rants about that Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs are all culturally the same as Hindus. Even the culture, life style, dress, food, religious beliefs, and on top deities are different among Hindus of North to South, and East to West.
@Boycott:
"Lala Gee goes into hiding."
@American Desi:
You're lucky Indians, as I have to fight with the moderators as well to get my comment through, and many times I don't succeed. I had replied to your comment several times in another news items, but moderator didn't allow it. Perhaps he/she thought my comment against "Aman Ki Asha", otherwise there wasn't any thing violating the ET's comments guidelines.
"@Lala Gee: your comments mean only one of the two things. Either you love to get ridiculed about your lies, or you accept that your bloodline is a Hindu bloodline since before thousand years whats now called Pakistan was a Hindu land. Glad to meet you my long lost Hindu brother. :)"
"@Lala Gee: ... The original inhabitants of Indus Civilisation, followed form of current day Hinduism and Jainism."
I have absolutely no problem in accepting that my forefathers were Hindus earlier, and I have already mentioned this fact in several of my previous comments. At the same time I am thankful to my great great grandfather from the core of my heart for his open mindedness that allowed him to accept the true religion of Islam, only 5 generations ago during the British rule. Here is what Jayaram V. says in the "Introduction to Hinduism" on Hindu Website (http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduintrod1.asp).
"Is Hinduism a Religion ? Truly speaking, when we talk of Hinduism, we do not know whether we are talking about a religion, or a group of religions, or a group of beliefs and traditions, some of which are diametrically opposed to each other. This some times gives rise to the argument that Hinduism cannot be considered as a religion in the strictest sense of the word, but as a complex theology that incorporates into itself many religious thoughts, practices, doctrines and world views."
Your latest developments are good for you. Its good to have fairy tales. We dont need to test our DNA because we dont have a doubt. Vedas and Literature from the beginning of time has proved time and again the reality of Hindu origins we need not learn from you. when you people were roaming arounnd like nomads we had the worlds first university. So take a hike. You dont have 1% knowledge of what you are scribbling over here my friend. As i mentioned earlier ! READ ! dont be a frog in the well! And the Arabs that you are so proudly flaunting here dont even count u as one of their own. For them u are a non-arab muslim that they dont care about. The problem with you people are that you guys are lost.
To all tose who are involved in the origin of the ancestors of the Indian region, let me give them the update on the anthropologist latest discovery, about the Modern Homosapiens. It began from the Arbian Penunsula and not from Africa as previously researched. In all probability the NA of every Indian and Pakistani citizen must contain the Arab content as well. At a cost of les than $300 each of you could obtain this evidence if required.
There have been several civilisations, some not yet fuly explained, in the Indian/Pakistan subcontinent, but middle east is regarded as the cradle of human civilisation.
Rex Minor
@Yoghurt lover: "One thing is certain. Manmohan Singh is very very confused as far as Pakistan policy is concerned." On the contrary, it has finally seeped through to him that Pakistan only mouths "aman ki asha". In reality, it does everything to sustain and promote enmity with India. Pakistanis made a grand fool of him by promising court action on 26/11 if India produced evidence. When India did, it did not even submit that evidence to its courts. If that was not enough of an insult to ManMohan personally, they even handed over a sheaf of court decisions purporting to be decisions on that evidence which in fact had nothing to do with 26/11. Did they think that our legal eagles would not peruse those decisions and quietly file those papers away? Or, was it twisting the dagger in ManMohan's back? Result: "It will not be business as usual" with Pakistan!
@Gp65:
India is an anomoly in the region, seeks confrontation and in return Pakistan successive Govts.has been offering talks and more talks. ppp Rabbani has followed course. There is no more time left for talks. Pakistan next Govt. must follow the chinese low key diplomacy policy towards India.
Rex Mnor
Lala Gee goes into hiding.
@lalegee
On the contrary 99% of Pakistanis seem to believe that they are of arab/tajik/uzbek/afghan/turk/persian.. origin as elucidated in this article written by a Pakistani columnist. Please go no further than the very first line. That should be enough to convince any one. Any one with a wee bit common sense would believe a respected columnist of a reputed publication like tribune then some anonymous person commenting on the forum.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/317619/arab-origins/
Case Closed.
Take care my Arab bother.
@Lala Gee: Did David Headley and Tahawar Rana also use “Group Visa” facility? From Pakistan, of course?
David Headley (born to a Pakistani father and american mother - i guess you would have seen the Pakistani movie - Bol) who was trained in Pakistan can come on a valid visa to India under the guise of American passport because he figured out that being fair and holding an american passport can hide his Terrorist mindset. Then do a 'Recce' of all the sites attacked on 26/11. Can anyone in Pakistan assure that those who are requesting for 'Group Visa' will not come and launch an attack with a valid visa? Brother self-reflection is something that comes with sincerity, steadfastness and insight... I am yet to see a Pakistani who has the above three...
@abc
Please make it quick. That will end this charade once and for all.
its quite dumb when you say Indus Valley Civilization and you say that you gave it to India ! You need to learn to read !!! and/or Google ! hahahaha
@Lala Gee: Though m a congress man bt abt modi he is grt politician he knows how to make curves.love to see a war btwn THE GREAT NATION INDIA n pak
@1984:
"There is something needed called Planning before u do any attack. For that,they need someone to provide the logistics…Thats what David Headley and Rana did for 26/11"
Did David Headley and Tahawar Rana also use "Group Visa" facility? From Pakistan, of course?
@abc:
"they have never given us anything good except land for Pakistan."
I don't know about your ancestry, but mine, like 99% of other Pakistanis, are the inhabitants of this land for several thousand years. Nobody could have given us any thing which was already ours.
@Cosmo:
"Well we gave you your identity, your forefathers, culture and history!!!"
Our forefathers, culture, and history is ours. None of your business. Quite contrary to your claim, we gave you "your identity, your forefathers, culture and history!!!" as Indus civilization started in the areas which are currently part of Pakistan, not India.
@Yoghurt lover:
"We need Indira Gandhi, a man of strong will. Or Modi might do also."
It is my deepest desire that Modi become the Prime Minister of India. He would be the 'Mullah Umer' of India, and start the irreversible process of her destruction, unless, of course, he abandons his 'Hindutva' ideology, which is a highly unlikely possibility, as this is the main reason he gets Hindus vote. Please don't rant that Muslims of Gujarat also voted for him; they just want to be alive and do not afford to lose their ghettoize humble bodes once again.
@Sajid Iqbal: There is something needed called Planning before u do any attack. For that,they need someone to provide the logistics...Thats what David Headley and Rana did for 26/11....The persons coming by visa may not attack,but they will pass information...
@Rex Minor: @Ghazi: Your cricketers and musicians think otherwise.....and India too doesn't want to welcome someone who doesnt wish to go there
@Gp65:
"But if the controls around visa are liberalized, then the people who have to today risk their lives to infiltrate may simply walk in through front door"
LOL. Walk through front door fully armed with AK47s, hand-grenades, and bombs? Wow, what a reasoning prowess!!!
@abc: Well we gave you your identity, your forefathers, culture and history!!!
India went a mile to normalse relations with Pakistan but latter's reluctance to abandon its decades old policy causing setback to this process. Although this policy has proved to be lethal for Pakistan itself yet it continues with an intent to harm its neighbour which may only result in undoing the good work and the same has been unfortunately achieved.
Indians don't realize that (thinking) Pakistanis have somewhat moved on from obsessing about India. Indians should do the same. All we want to do at this point is to work towards making our country peaceful and progressive before thinking about trivial things like group visas. The kind of mental trauma that Pakistanis had to go through for past 5 years have totally shifted our priorities for good. That's the silver lining in all of this.
@Sajid Iqbal:somebody to tell you David and likes came to India on visas.
@Rex Minor: Israel's policy? And what policy would that be Sir? As far as escalating the issue further, it does not look like Pakistan wants hat. Ms. Rabbani Khar has claimed just today that talks will not be derailed. It is India which is reviewing its stance and a couple of days back PM MMS said relations could not be BAU.
One thing is certain.
Manmohan Singh is very very confused as far as Pakistan policy is concerned.
On one hand he doesn't want to look week and on the other, he doesn't have it in him to take strong actions against pak sponsored terrorism.
We need Indira Gandhi, a man of strong will.
Or Modi might do also.
@lololol: " ... Another positive contribution by India towards Aman Ki Asha. ... "
Excepting for a coterie of leftists and uber-liberals, Aman-ki-Asha hardly finds any support in India.
Pakistan should close the border with India and stop private visits of the PPP Govt representatives! Indis is ollowing Israel policy with Palestians and both the Govt and te people of Pakistan should be aware of this.
Rex Minor
Why are we bent upon begging India for visas to let us visit their country again? I don't want to go their country, if they don't want to come to mine.
@Sajid Iqbal: 99% of Pakistanis who enter India with visas would be legitimate visitors for either tourism or business or family reunion. But if the controls around visa are liberalized, then the people who have to today risk their lives to infiltrate may simply walk in through front door negating all the sacrifices of Indian solidera on LOC to prevent infiltration.
Thus the process of obtaining visa needs to remain tough to weed out non-state actors. Once someone does come to India with a visa though they should be treated as an honoured guest with love and respect.
@abc, Ties are already broken. We both just need to maintain a certain distance from each other and concentrate on the welfare of our own people first. Live and let live. Period
This was already anticipated by many Pakistanis, nothing new.
Abundant caution makes sense on the part of India, when militants are running amok in Pakistan.
sick of India with its visa issues. Lets just break off ties with them, they have never given us anything good except land for Pakistan.
Somebody tell both these brain-less neighbors that anybody willing to attack won't seek a visa from any of these two.
Only diplomates, intactuals, artists,sports persons and traders should be allowed.
Another positive contribution by India towards Aman Ki Asha.