India assures medical visa to another Pakistani national

India on Friday assured a medical visa to another Pakistani national who is seeking to donate a kidney to a fellow national undergoing treatment at a hospital here.

"Pls don't worry. I am asking Indian High Commission to give visa for the second donor," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted in response to a request from one Faiza Malik, who said that her nephew Faraz Malik was undergoing treatment at Fortis Hosipital.

Faiza Malik said that doctors rejected the previous donor and a now a visa was required for new donor Abdul Razzaq.

On Independence Day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had announced that India would provide medical visas to all bonafide Pakistani patients.

As ties between the two countries soured over various issues, the ministry had announced in May that only a letter of recommendation by then Pakistan Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz would enable a Pakistani national to get a medical visa for India.

The action was termed "highly regrettable" by Islamabad, which said that asking for such a letter violated diplomatic norms and such a requirement had not been prescribed for any other country.

However, a patient from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, seeking treatment in New Delhi for liver tumour, was given a visa on July 18.

Sushma Swaraj then said that he needed no recommendation from the Pakistani government for a medical visa because the territory "is an integral part of India".

Since August 15, however, Pakistani nationals seeking medical treatment have not been denied visas.

--IANS

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