Pakistan’s progress in World Cup causes worry in North Block

[aabe-hayat]

Pakistan’s progress in World Cup causes worry in North Block

Indian High Commission in Islamabad sends SOS on anticipated visa avalanche

Iftikhar Gilani
New Delhi

The notoriously unpredictable Pakistan cricket team has caused fresh worry in the unlikeliest of places: North Block. Shahid Afridi’s boys have already done more than was expected of a team in a shambles, by reaching the quarters.

Consequently, the headquarters of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in North Block here has been preoccupied with the fallout of the Pakistan team’s progress.

The worry is because the Indian High Commission in Islamabad has sent an SOS to North Block, asking the union home ministry to revisit its visa norms for people from Pakistan. The Commission has made a similar request to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

The High Commission in Islamabad expects an avalanche of visa applications from fans, government officers and cricket officials in Pakistan. What do we do if Pakistan reaches the final of the World Cup, the Commission apparently asked. The home ministry is also asking the same question.

Visas for people from Pakistan were tightened after the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai.

No one expected Pakistan to beat better teams like Sri Lanka and Australia. These upsets have pushed the team into the top eight and, to the horror of North Block, possible finalists.

The 2011 Cricket World Cup final is to be played in Mumbai, where the 26/11 attacks devastated life. This too is adding to the concern, more so because the Shiv Sena might take note of this possibility and step up its anti-Pakistan campaign.

India expects several thousand people from Pakistan wanting to cheer their team in Mumbai should they reach the final.

To work this out, Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi Shahid Malik met Indian Home Secretary GK Pillai on 21 March. Sources said they discussed the visa issue and matters related to a forthcoming meeting of Customs officials at the Attari-Wagah border on 23 March.

It was suggested that it be made mandatory to buy match tickets online to apply for a visa to India. Officials are also working out a plan to open specialised facilitation centres in Lahore and Wagah to issue related travel permits.

A special desk including officials from the intelligence wing and the immigration department is also likely to come up at the Attari border to scan Mumbai-bound Pakistani citizens.

It is also being said that a one-city visa for Mumbai could be issued without the otherwise mandatory security clearance by the union home ministry. Another idea thrown up was to have a special train to carry Pakistani fans to Mumbai.

At the moment, the union home ministry takes about a month to grant security clearance to Pakistani citizens seeking to visit India. The visa norms were tightened after 26/11 so much so that in 2010 India refused a visa to former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who was invited to speak at a gathering of businessmen.

The new norms include income criteria where only applications from those with a monthly income exceeding Pakistani rupees 25,000 are considered. An educational qualification, the applicant has to have at least gone to high school, is another norm.

Also ‘some financial criteria for the Indian sponsor that they visit’ and ‘the status of the person standing surety’ has also been introduced before a visa is approved.

Those applying for a business visa have to show a monthly income of Pakistani Rs 1 lakh, with a minimum annual turnover of the sponsor company at Pakistani Rs 1 crore.

Over and above these norms, another rider has been added after the fiasco involving Pakistani Sufi singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, where the singer was recently caught with vast sums of undisclosed foreign currency.

Now, Pakistani citizens are asked to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the interior ministry in Islamabad before heading to India. The order applies to public servants, artists and journalists as well.

In addition, Indian missions across the world have been asked to tighten visa norms for Pakistan-born citizens based in western countries. These applications are also forwarded to North Block now.

This was done after it was discovered that the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba used Pakistan-born American citizen David Coleman Headley to help launch the 26/11 attacks.

Other proposals discussed after 26/11 included making it mandatory for visa applications of Pakistan-born citizens of any country to be cleared in New Delhi, limiting the number of visits in a year, and having reference letters from past travellers.

In 2005, when allowed a thousand Pakistani cricket fans for the first Test match in Mohali, Punjab, at least 11 went ‘missing’.

All this is on North Block’s plate as it worries about the newest situation that has been thrown up.

Afridi and his team play the West Indies on 23 March in the first of the quarterfinals. Both are highly fickle teams, populated by players who appear to be allergic to discipline.

Should Pakistan beat the Windies, the bets on them making the final will increase. Should they lose, North Block will breathe easy.

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I think we dont need army.Our cricket team itself make Indian Government shiver.

 

[W.11]

woow, a third world poorest countries like india needs 25,000 rs from pakistanis, guess wht UK charges less with less restrictions, so.... pakistanis would rather prefer to go to uk than even thinking abt visiting relatives in india, who gives a shitt

it would even take a rich guy to visit a country where poor people eat rats for living

 

[ares]

woow, a third world poorest countries like india needs 25,000 rs from pakistanis, guess wht UK charges less with less restrictions, so.... pakistanis would rather prefer to go to uk than even thinking abt visiting relatives in india, who gives a shitt

Guess you need get your glasses checked if thats jist you got after reading that article.

 

[third eye]

[QUOTE

I think we dont need army.Our cricket team itself make Indian Government shiver.[/QUOTE]



This must surely be the quote ( read childish post) of the day !!