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Kartarpur to improve relations with India, promote religious tourism: FM

Kartarpur to improve relations with India, promote religious tourism: FM
April 3, 2019
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that opening of Kartarpur Corridor will not only help improving relations with India, but also provide the Sikh community an opportunity of spiritual tourism. Addressing the Tourism Conference, he said tourist places for Buddhism followers are also being opened. He also said a number of steps have been taken to promote tourist potential of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s visa policy thoroughly revamped
Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that Pakistan’s visa policy has been thoroughly revamped. Visa fee has been rationalized to make it enticing from tourists around the world. He said online visa facility has been provided to citizens of 175 countries. He added that all roads leading to international borders will also be opened for foreigners. The foreign minister said Pakistani missions abroad will issue multiple visas of five year duration. He further said the new aviation policy will promote tourism to northern areas.
Portugal removed travel advisory for Pakistan
“Foreign Office is making concerted efforts to remove foreign advisories. As a result, Portugal has removed the travel advisory for Pakistan while Canada has softened it,” he said.
Govt to promote tourism
The minister said in order to promote tourism successfully, federal, provincial and local governments will have to work in tandem with hospitality, service and transport sectors all have to work He said National Tourism Coordination Board has been set up bringing together various stakeholders for promotion of tourism and art in the country. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O0K5HXUg0M
Pakistan regrets Indian decision to postpone upcoming Kartarpur meeting
Pakistan has regretted the Indian decision to postpone the upcoming Kartarpur meeting which was scheduled to be held at Wagah on Tuesday.

In a tweet today, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Muhammad Faisal said last minute postponment without seeking views from Pakistan and especially after the productive technical meeting on 19th of this month, is comprehensible.

The first meeting between the two sides on Kartarpur corridor was held at Wagah-Attari border on 14th of this month in which both sides had agreed to work expeditiously towards operationalization of the Corridor. It is pertinent to mention here that the move came a day after the FO said its preliminary probe into the Pulwama attack failed to establish any link between Pakistan and the February 14 suicide bombing. The FO spokesperson’s statement was issued following Indian Ministry of External Affairs said New Delhi sought “clarifications from Pakistan on key proposals put forward by India at the last meeting held in Attari to discuss the modalities of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor”.