Author: Times Internet Network
Publication: The Times of India
Date: July 5, 2001
Warming up to the theme of Indo-Pakistani
goodwill ahead of the Pervez Musharraf visit, India on Wednesday said it
will release civilian Pakistan prisoners, be more lenient towards straying
fishermen, and slash import duties on more Pakistani goods.
India's goodwill package also includes
scholarships to Pakistani students and invitations to artists and academicians
to visit India to improve ``people-to-people ties.''
The package coincides with reports
that Pakistani authorities have ordered the release of peace activist Vikas
Singh who found himself in a Pakistani jail when he entered that country
without a visa.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
has instructed the home ministry to take ``expeditious action'' for the
release of all `civilian' prisoners ``after due process of law.''
The choice of words indicates that
those facing serious offences will not be let off, even if they happen
to be civilians. But the gesture will lead to the release of Pakistani
counterparts of Vikas Singh, among others.
An external affairs ministry spokesperson
said the term ``civilian prisoners'' was well understood by both sides.
She said there were 229 `civilian'
Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails. In addition, 202 fishermen were in
Indian custody. The figures were however subject to correction.
Pakistan holds 620 Indian civilians
who enjoy counsellor access -- meaning Indian high Commission officials
can visit. And there are another 474 who don't have the privilege.
The deal is, so far at least, a
unilateral gesture -- the spokesperson was not aware of any reciprocal
announcement by Pakistan. But it is clearly meant to improve the atmosphere
ahead of the summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan
President Pervez Musharraf.
The Foreign Office statement credits
Vajpayee with each decision, almost bringing a personal touch to the decisions.
It says the Prime Minister had instructed
the Commerce Ministry to eliminate or reduce tariff on 50 tariff lines
to encourage Pakistani imports into India. The goods will be identified
by August 15.
Even before this announcement, India
had extended the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to Pakistan, implying
reduction in import duties across a wide range of goods. But Pakistan did
not reciprocate.
The gesture towards Pakistani fishermen
may also be meant to prod Islamabad into taking a similar view of Indians
straying into Pakistani waters. The Prime Minister has asked the Coast
Guard not to take Pakistani fishermen into custody. In future, they will
be turned back after a warning.
Delhi will offer 20 scholarships
to Pakistani students in Indian technical institutes. Pakistani poets,
writers, academics and artists will be invited, individually or in groups,
to visit India for a month as the government's guests.
Pakistani in schools and colleges
will be similarly invited to tour Indian academic establishments.
Encouraging people-to-people contact
also helps Delhi in diverting Pakistan's attempt to focus only on the ``core''
issue of Kashmir. India projects Kashmir as one of the issues between the
two countries, and has usually emphasised the need for promoting contacts
between their people.
