I know it sounds silly but isn’t it possible readers? I am pretty hopeful about it because India and Pakistan, once arch rivals have now opened up their borders for travelers to enter into the country. According to the news published yesterday in thetimesofindia.com, the number of travelers to India and Pakistan has increased to a good amount. I am quoting from the report:
"There has been a "significant increase" in two-way travel between India and Pakistan, with some 170,000 people making the journey in the first five months of the year, official figures released on Monday showed."
According to Navtej Sarna, spokesman, external affairs ministry, India, in the past five months a total of 170,000 people traveled both ways through plain, train, bus and on foot. He added that 83,994 people traveled by Indian Airlines and Pakistan Airways. Both airlines operate 28 flights per week.
Through train until now 47,697 people have traveled. Thar Express and Samjhauta Express are the two main trains running between India and Pakistan. In addition, 8,013 people traveled by bus and 28,425 by foot.
As a South Asian, I am very happy to see that things are improving between India and Pakistan. I know it is not enough but considering the long running feud and bitterness, this is encouraging.
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It's still very hard for a Pakistani to get an Indian visa, and vice versa. Most the of travel is actually by South-Indians with dual passports, who can get a visa much easier.
The visa process remains ridicously bad, taking more than a year in many cases and most being outright rejected.
Posted by: Anon | June 28, 2006 2:12 AM | Permalink to Comment