Softening its stand towards Pakistan, India has commenced the visa-on-arrival facility for senior citizens of the neighbouring nation from April 1. This facility has been started at the Attari integrated check post where Pakistani nationals above 65 years of age will be given a 45-day, single-entry visa.
Initially, the visa-on-arrival scheme was to commence on January 15, 2013, as per the new liberalised visa regime signed between the two nations in December last, but it was postponed as bilateral relations soured following the killing of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control.
Group tourist visa facility to Pakistani nationals, which was to begin on March 15, has also been put on hold.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month had noted that the barbaric killing of Indian soldiers in Kashmir had cast a shadow on bilateral relations and asked the Pakistani government to create a conducive environment to help normalise relations.
