Cutting down business visa period: Saarc Chamber rejects Indian proposal

Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry has unanimously approved a resolution demanding rejection of Indian proposal of cutting down business visa period from one year to three months and demanded of the member countries to adopt a liberal visa regime framework at foreign ministers meeting scheduled for February 7-8 in Bhutan for promotion of business and trade in the region.
The resolution said India's proposal to further curtail period of business visa under article 16 itself was against the fundamental principle of Saarc countries based on a liberal visa regime for businessmen and other categories to promote better harmony and bring closer the people of the region. Saarc Chamber demanded of the foreign ministers when they meet in Bhutan on February 7 for a two-day consultations to introduce a liberal visa regime for Saarc countries.
Interestingly, India has moved a proposal to cut down business visa regime from one year to three months and in some cases even to one month. This proposal has irked all other Saarc states including Pakistan as business community, in particular, Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry which quickly moved to make the other member countries that India's proposal was against the basic spirit of liberalising business environment in the wake of globalisation and a free trade organisation - WTO regime.
Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice chairman Iftikhar Ali Malik said tightening of business visa regime was unacceptable for business community of the region as it did not make any logic in the given international scenario when the world community was enjoying benefits of globalisation.
He said Saarc Chamber demands of the foreign ministers when they meet in Bhutan to take a related agenda item of liberalising visa regime in the region. Iftikhar Ali Malik said SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry will make a presentation to the foreign ministers at Bhutan conference that they should reject India's proposal and take a bold step to ensure easy and quick visa regime as limiting visa period for businessmen would tantamount to waste of their money and time.
Iqbal Tabish Secretary General of Saarc Chamber of Commerce and Industry said, "India's move to suggest a tight business visa regime is like moving backward in today's world when there is a strong spirit to removing hurdle in communication and promotion of business and trade."
Tabish demanded of the foreign ministers of Saarc countries that they should turn down the proposal and give a sound message not only to the regional countries but also to the entire world that they were following the spirit of opening the region to each other to take benefit from each other's resources and experience.