New Delhi: Ignoring Pakistan’s criticism, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday ordered granting of an Indian visas to four Pakistani nationals, including a child for an open-heart surgery, in the past 24 hours. “I am sorry, the child is suffering so much. We will issue the visa immediately,” Ms Swaraj tweeted after Afsheen Younus, mother of a five year-old Pakistani girl Nabeeha Rashid, asked the minister for help in grant of an Indian visa.
It may be recalled that just last week, Pakistan had accused India of selectively issuing medical visas to its citizens and had claimed that it was not a gesture of compassion but “cold blooded politicking”. However, Pakistani citizens have been praising Ms Swaraj on Twitter for her humanitarian actions.
In the past 24 hours, Ms Swaraj has ordered grant of visas to four Pakistanis for liver transplant surgeries or other surgeries related to post liver-transplant complications. The minister also ordered grant of a visa for a Pakistani girl child who wanted to undergo bone marrow transplant.
According to news agency reports from Islamabad last week, Pakistan foreign office spokesman Mohammad Faisal had accused India of “politicising” humanitarian issues.
