Media bodies demand multiple-entry visas
JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 7 September 2012
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The South Asian Free Media Association and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors have called for multiple-entry visas for journalists. They expressed concerns over the lack of concessions for reporters in the proposed visa agreement.Summary
ISLAMABAD: The South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) and Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) have demanded journalists from India and Pakistan be issued multiple-entry visas that cover the whole country.
Addressing a news conference ahead of India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's visit to Islamabad, SAFMA secretary general Imtiaz Alam expressed apprehensions about an agreement for a liberalized visa regime.
Imtiaz said the agreement might not have any concessions for journalists.
Both SAFMA and CPNE demanded the foreign ministers should honour promises made by successive governments of India and Pakistan to allow free movement of reporters.
Alam said successive foreign ministers had assured the visa regime would be liberalized, including issuance of SAARC visas for travel across South Asia.
The Council of Ministers of SAARC twice decided to issue SAARC visas to journalists of the region but the decision was not implemented by the Indian and Pakistani governments, he said.
"Nothing has moved and the proposed visa regime is frustrating," he said.
KEY POINTS:
- SAFMA and CPNE demand multiple-entry visas for journalists.
- Concerns raised about the new visa agreement lacking journalist concessions.
- Successive governments promised free movement for reporters.
- SAARC visas for journalists not implemented by India and Pakistan.
- Frustration expressed over stalled liberalization of the visa regime.
