By IANS,
New Delhi : Pakistani High Commissioner Shahid Malik Tuesday ruled out any delay in signing an agreement on liberalizing the sub-continental visa regime due to the suspension of interior minister Rehman Malik from the country’s Senate.
Talking to reporters at the Indian Women Press Corps here, he said that the time being taken was only because due processes had to be followed before signing the agreement.
“There are some procedural delays. Both sides have reached an agreement,” Malik said.
Malik’s suspension will not affect the process as he has now been reinstated as an advisor to the Pakistani prime minister on interior affairs.
The Suprme Court Monday suspended Malik from the Senate for holding dual citizenship. He and Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram were supposed to sign an agreement that will liberalise the visas regime on both sides.
He also said that the talks on Sir Creek and Siachen were not being delayed by Pakistan insisting on first taking up Siachen.
“Both are issues of importance. The dialogue process is on, we would like it to be productive and we are following a process,” Malik said.
Malik’s comments come ahead of the June 11-12 meeting in Pakistan of the defence secretaries on Siachen. The talks on Sir Creek will be held in Delhi June 18-19.