Sushma Swaraj announces medical visas for Pakistanis

New Delhi : On the occasion of Independence Day, the Ministry of External Affairs announced that India will provide medical visas to all bona fide Pakistan patients.

In a tweet on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said: " On the auspicious occasion of India's Independence day, we will grant a medical visa in all bonafide cases pending with us."

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

The action was termed "highly regrettable" by Islamabad, who said that asking for a letter from the Foreign Affairs Adviser was "against diplomatic norms" and that "such a requirement has not been prescribed for any other country".

However, on July 18, a patient from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, seeking treatment in New Delhi for a liver tumor, was granted a visa. Swaraj said that he needed no recommendation from the Pakistan government for a medical visa because the territory is "an integral part of India".