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Q.1902 Restoring communication with Pakistan
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1902
TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.08.2011
DR. E.M. SUDARSANA NATCHIAPPAN:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is contemplating to restore the communication with Pakistan;
(b) whether there would be commercial flights to Pakistan by Air India and other private airlines;
(c) whether roaming facilitated SIM for mobile and internet etc. would be started; and
(d) whether there would be visa reforms for identified families and civilians such as Journalists, Lawyers, Physicians, Parliamentarians, Intellectuals, women civil society activists etc.?
ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI E. AHAMED)
(a) Communication links with Pakistan already exist.
(b) No Indian carrier is operating to Pakistan at present. Air India and Jetlite are the designated carriers of India to operate on Pakistan sector. However, actual operations are guided by the commercial judgment of the airline.
(c) The License Provisions do not restrict sale of SIM cards with roaming facility and internet access.
(d) A Joint Working Group to examine the modalities for streamlining the visa procedure/modalities and for giving a final shape to revision of the Bilateral Visa Agreement has been set up following the Home/Interior Secretary level talks between India and Pakistan in March 2011. The first meeting of the Joint Working Group was held in Islamabad on June 2-3, 2011.