Pakistan's cabinet ratifies four agreements with India

Pakistan's cabinet on Wednesday ratified four recent agreements with India, including a landmark visa pact aimed at easing restrictions on several categories of travellers, including senior citizens and businessmen.

The three other agreements ratified by the cabinet during a meeting chaired on Wednesday afternoon by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf are aimed at boosting trade between the two countries, Press Trust of India (PTI) reported.

The visa agreement was signed by then Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Interior Minister Rehman Malik in Islamabad on Sept 8.

The agreement introduces new categories for group tourist visas and pilgrim visas and eases restrictions on travel by senior citizens, businessmen and persons of one country married to a citizen of the other.

It has been welcomed by people on both sides of the border.

The three trade agreements were signed on Sept 21 at the conclusion of two-day talks between the Commerce Secretaries of the two countries.

One agreement covers cooperation and mutual assistance in customs matters while another is aimed at redressing trade grievances.

The third agreement between the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority is aimed at conforming standards in the two countries.

The two sides are also discussing other measures aimed at boosting bilateral trade and cooperation in new areas like opening of bank branches and cross-border investments.

The two countries have said they intend to increase bilateral trade to US$6 billion by 2014.