New Delhi, Oct 14: India and Pakistan Friday finalised the draft of the new Bilateral Visa Agreement to ease travel for the nationals of either country desiring to visit the other.
The draft was finalised during the second meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on visa matters which also examined the modalities for streamlining the visa procedures, a Ministry of External Affairs statement said here.
The two-day meeting,which was held in pursuance of the decision taken during the India-Pakistan Home/Interior Secretary-level talks held in March, was a follow-up on the deliberations held in the first meeting of the JWG in Islamabad in June earlier this year.
 The meeting was led by Anil Goswami, Additional Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs, and Nasar Hayat, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Interior, from Pakistani side.
 "The discussions were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. The two sides finalized the draft text of the Agreement which will be submitted to the respective governments for obtaining necessary approvals in order to sign the Agreement at an early date," MEA said.
 According to sources, the draft text provides for hassle-free visa procedure for the businessmen from either country.
 It also provides for more than three destinations for visit in each country to the travellers from India as well as Pakistan. At present, travellers are permitted to visit only three places in one visit.

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