New Delhi: In a strong political message to Pakistan, India on Tuesday said it was giving visa to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) resident Osama Ali — who desperately needs a liver transplant — on the grounds that PoK is an integral part of India.
External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “PoK is an integral part of India. Pakistan has illegally occupied it. We are giving him visa. No letter required.”
Two months ago, India had announced that all Pakistani nationals requiring a medical visa for treatment in India have to furnish a “recommendation letter” from the Pakistan PM’s foreign policy advisor Sartaj Aziz “in order to ascertain that these are genuine requests”.
Mr Ali, 24, who has reportedly been diagnosed with a tumour in the liver, wants to travel to New Delhi for a liver transplant and has already been accepted as a patient by a private hospital. As in Mr Ali’s case, New Delhi has waived off the rule now for those hailing from PoK on the grounds that the territory is part of India that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan.
According to media reports, Islamabad had refused to give a recommendation letter for Mr Ali’s treatment.
