Comparison between old and new visa agreements between India and Pakistan

 Below is the comparison between old and new visa agreements between India and Pakistan

Afghanistan may join SCO

Afghanistan may join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation as an observer at the group's 10th jubilee summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, next month, said Russia's Foreign Minister.The SCO will also consider the applications of India and Pakistan to join as full members, said Sergei Lavrov.

US lawmaker introduces legislation to cut off aid to Pak

A key US lawmaker has introduced a legislation in the House of Representatives to stop American aid to Pakistan, saying the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad has made it clear that Islamabad concealed, protected and enabled him for many years."We can no longer afford this foolishness," Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said after introducing the 'Defund United States Assistance to Pakistan Act of 2011' in the House of Representative."The time has come for us to stop subsidizing those who actively oppose us. Pakistan has shown itself not to be America's ally," he said.

India, Pakistan begins talks on Wullar barrage-Tulbul project

India and Pakistan began a four-day talks in Islamabad on Wednesday on the Wullar barrage-Tulbul navigation project as part of the bilateral dialogue process that was revived earlier this year after a two-year gap in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.The Indian side is being led by Water Resources Secretary Dhruv Vijai Singh while Water and Power Secretary Javed Iqbal heads the Pakistani team.Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal met Secretary Iqbal on Tuesday ahead of the parleys.

India reacted strongly to Pakistan terming New Delhi's demand for action against all those responsible in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as outdated

India reacted strongly to Pakistan terming New Delhi's demand for action against all those responsible in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks as outdated . Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said the word outdated cannot apply as the country is consistent about the issue and Pakistan knows this. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir had described as "outdated" India's demand for action against the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks in the wake of the killing of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. In a message posted in Twitter, Mrs. Rao  said  at the same time, there is no denying the need for sober and reasoned dialogue between  India and Pakistan on all issues that complicate relations.

US files second chargesheet in Mumbai terror attack case

The US government has filed a second chargesheet in a Chicago court in the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai naming five people as accused in the case.The chargesheet filed in the US court, according to media reports on Monday, named the five accused as-Sajid Majeed, Abu Qahafa, Mazhar Iqbal, Major Iqbal and a Lashkar-e-Toiba member.The accused were named in the Tahawwur Rana case.Rana is a Pakistani Canadian and like Pakistani American David Coleman Headley is involved in the Mumbai attack.

Osama was living in Abbottabad for five years: Wife

While the US-led forces were hunting for Osama bin Laden in Pakistan's unruly tribal areas for years, the al-Qaeda chief had been living a secluded life in a million-dollar mansion in the Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad for five years, according to one of his wives.The Yemeni woman said bin Laden had been living in the compound in Abbottabad for the past five years, Geo News Channel quoted unnamed senior Pakistani military officials as saying.

Paki needs to come out of its India centric mindset

Top US lawmakers and experts have asked Pakistan to come out of its India-centric mindset which they argued is nothing but destructive for it, a day after Islamabad resorted to rhetoric against New Delhi."Pakistan's strategic view and posture vis-a-vis India is, at least in this senator's judgment, and I think for many people who so talk about it is absurd in this modern context," Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said at a Congressional hearing.

New Delhi says elimination of safe terror havens in Pak is essential to end terror

New Delhi has emphasised that the war on terror has not ended with the death of Osama bin laden, asserting the need for more steps to bring more Mumbai 26/11 perpetraters and conspirators to justice.However, the policy of engaging Pakistan through talks was endorsed.

Osama's killing will not change discourse of Indo-Pak dialogue: India

India today said that the momentous killing of Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan will not change the discourse of Indo-Pak dialogue but made it clear that use of terrorism as a policy to further strategic goals is unacceptable.Asserting that the killing vindicates India's position that without the elimination of the terrorist safe havens and sanctuaries in Pakistan there cannot be an end to the global war on terror, highly placed sources said, what was sensational was the fact that Bin Laden was found living in a large mansion in Abbotabad, 80 kms from Islamabad.

Eliminate terror havens: Krishna

For a change, the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appeared to be in agreement while responding to questions on the killing of Osama bin Laden on Pakistani soil.The Congress said it underscored India's long-held position that terrorists had been finding protection on the soil of its western neighbour; the BJP stressed that Osama's death in Pakistan proved what India had said repeatedly: “Pakistan is the epicentre of global terrorism.” 

India, Pak to initiate steps for power, petroleum trade

Recognising that economic engagement will help build mutual trust, India and Pakistan on Thursday agreed to initiate steps for trade of electricity and petroleum products between them.Besides, Commerce Secretaries of the two countries agreed on a slew of measures to realise the full potential of bilateral trade which at present is less than $2 billion.

India-Pak trade talks today

On the eve of Indo-Pakistan trade talks, New Delhi on Tuesday said "possible doables" to upgrade bilateral economic engagement would be clear after the Commerce Secretaries complete their discussion in Islamabad. Describing the India-Pakistan commerce secretaries' talks, beginning tomorrow, as "a positive development," Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said that, “after these talks, there would be greater clarity about possible doables on ways to upgrade economic ties".

India, Pak working on mechanism for release of fishermen

India and Pakistan are working on a mechanism for early release of their fishermen crossing the maritime boundary of the other inadvertently.The announcement was made in a joint statement issued in Islamabad at the end of the visit of Indian members of the Judicial Committee on Prisoners to Pakistan. The proposals reportedly include release of the first time offenders at sea itself without any lengthy legal procedures. The Coast Guard and Pakistan Security Agency will work out modalities for this proposal.