India-Pakistan Parliamentarians Dialogue – Joint Statement

August 23-24, 2012; New Delhi, India

The Parliamentarians from India and Pakistan met in New Delhi on August 23-24, 2012 in
their fourth round of the India-Pakistan Parliamentarians Dialogue.
The Parliamentarians placed on record their appreciation of the services rendered to the
Dialogue by Senator S. M. Zafar as a co-chair from Pakistan for the first three rounds of
the Parliamentarians Dialogue.
General Review
As representatives of the people of India and Pakistan, the Parliamentarians affirmed their
belief that there is consensus between the people of the two countries to build on peace and
improved relations. They noted with satisfaction that the previous 3 rounds of
Parliamentarians Dialogues, held in Islamabad and New Delhi since January 2011, have
contributed to a positive milieu within which the two Governments have been able to initiate
and sustain the resumed dialogue.
The  Parliamentarians deeply appreciated the warm welcome accorded to the Pakistan
delegation by the Honourable Speaker Lok Sabha, Ms. Meira Kumar, at the Parliament of
India. They also welcomed and shared the Honourable Speaker’s sentiment that  frequent
exchange of Parliamentary delegations is indicative of the resolve of the people of the two
countries to peacefully resolve all issues of mutual concern and interest.
The Parliamentarians believe the time is ripe to consolidate the relationship between the two
countries.
The Parliamentarians welcomed the forthcoming meeting of the two Foreign Ministers to
mark the conclusion of the second round of the resumed dialogue and to launch the third
round. The Parliamentarians also expressed the hope that conditions will prove conducive
for an early visit by the Prime Minister of India to Pakistan.
The Parliamentarians noted the positive developments in the official dialogue made possible
through the political mandate of democratic governments in both countries. They  stressed
that the Parliamentarians  Dialogue should pave the way for a positive and constructive
environment within which the Governments of both countries can proceed to further build
and strengthen peaceful and friendly ties.
They especially noted the positive developments in establishing trade relations between the
two countries to build the  confidence of the business community on both sides, including
developing mechanisms to address issues of Non-Tariff Barriers, opening of Bank branches
of both countries, allowing foreign direct investments and initiating Munabao/Khokharapar
trade route, etc. They urged the two Governments to expedite implementation of the
agreements relating to trade.
The  Parliamentarians recommended that the two Governments must also accelerate the
process of finalisation of trade in energy-related products.
The  Parliamentarians from both sides welcomed the decision to resume cricketing ties
between the two countries which were suspended in 2007.
The  Parliamentarians  recommended that the two Governments consider  modifying the
parade at Wahga/Attari border and make it more ceremonial and friendly.2 | P a g e
There is need to explore the opportunities for collaboration in facilitating people-to-people
contacts in such crucial fields as education, health, local government, and media, amongst
others. The  Parliamentarians  emphasised that  to secure sustained peace, security and
stability in the region, the two countries must also devote their attention to resolving longstanding disputes such as Siachin and Sir Creek; questions relating to terrorism and counterterrorism; the final settlement of issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir; water issues; and
the consideration of Afghanistan-related issues,  through sustained “uninterrupted and
uninterruptible” dialogue.
The Parliamentarians recommended the immediate release of prisoners who have completed
their term and humanitarian treatment of fisher folk and others who inadvertently cross into
the territory or territorial waters of the other country. They also recommended their early
release and speedy repatriation to their respective countries of origin.
While  relations between  the two countries  must  remain  anchored in the principles of
reciprocity, they should also consider taking unilateral initiatives to improve relations in
their respective self-interest.
Visas
The  Parliamentarians urged the two Governments to sign at the earliest the  liberal visa
regime finalized between the two countries that introduces the concept of group tourist visa,
visa on arrival and a separate category of business visas.
The  Parliamentarians also urged  that  through the liberal visa regime,  citizens of both
Pakistan and India should be given visas exempted from police reporting to avoid undue
harassment.
They also underlined that health-related travel and religious tourism in both countries must
be facilitated as a priority by both countries.
Exchange of artists and media persons must also be accelerated by the two sides.
The  Parliamentarians  emphasised that educationists and senior citizens from the two
countries must be allowed visa-free access.
The two sides must also swiftly move towards allowing citizens to travel across the border in
their own vehicles.
Media: need for a new narrative
The Parliamentarians noted that while media have the unique function of reporting on actual
events, both news media and entertainment media need positive changes in how they report
to audiences in their own country about the other country.
The  Parliamentarians  recommended that both Governments remove the ban/blockage on
showing each other's news and entertainment TV channels and allowing free exchange of
print media. The awareness about each other on a daily basis should be elevated to a level
that enables  understanding, mutual respect, constructive co-operation and collective
progress.
Partnership between media groups of both countries needs to be facilitated to help establish
candid, regular communication, foster trust-building and mutual respect. The
Parliamentarians noted the need for a new positive narrative of Indo-Pak relations.
Without curbing the accurate reporting of facts, the aim should be to avoid using words,
terms and styles of presentation which promote distrust, hate and tension and instead
portray the other country in humanistic and balanced terms.3 | P a g e
As contacts to date tend to be dominated by English language media in both countries, new
initiatives and inter-actions must be launched between the relevant personnel of  local
language media which reach the vast majorities in both countries.
Education
India and Pakistan would both be greatly benefitted by cooperation in education. The scope
for such cooperation might include;
i. Exchange of students and teachers at the level of universities and specialised
institutions, such as for medicine and technology
ii. Exchange of youth delegations
iii. Facilitate study in each others universities by students, faculty and researchers
through appropriate provisions in the visa regime
iv. To facilitate the adequate representation of Pakistan in the  South Asia University,
New Delhi
Local Government
Democratic decentralisation to both the provincial and local levels is indispensable to
bringing the benefits of development to the broad masses of the people. Both countries need
to learn from each other’s experience in federalism and local self-government.
Cooperation on local government issues would be of mutual benefit to both countries. To this
end, the extant agreement between Pakistan and India on cooperation in Local Government
needs to be re-visited and revised to facilitate the exchange of local government
representatives and experts on a large scale as also to promote the exchange of views on the
implementation of development schemes and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Health
The Parliamentarians of the two countries believe that cooperation in the health sector is
essential for the benefit of the people of two countries.
To this end, they made the following recommendations:
i. The two Governments may consider providing free medical treatment to all children
and the poor when they travel to either country
ii. The Governments should facilitate setting-up of joint medical camps on a periodic
basis in both countries for specialised treatment
iii. Exchange of medical students must be promoted. Both countries must also consider
providing a number of scholarships for medical education to poor students in each
other’s country
iv. The two countries can also share best practices on polio eradication
v. Duty free import of generic drugs to each country must be promoted
Parliamentarians Dialogue: The Way Forward
The Parliamentarians from both sides recognised and appreciated the initiative of PILDAT to
foster these dialogues and urged that this initiative be continued and re-inforced.
They expressed the hope that it might prove possible to increase the frequency of their
meetings and focus on sectoral issues such as agriculture and irrigation, energy (including
renewable energy)  and information technology, etc. as also general issues such as
strengthening democracy and promoting accountability in public life.
The  Parliamentarians welcomed the  extension of their dialogue  to places outside of  the
capitals of the two countries, such as the visit to Patna, Bihar at the close of this round of the
Dialogue.
In this connection, the Parliamentarians noted invitations extended to the Pakistani
Parliamentarians to visit Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, and expressed the hope that such
visits might be facilitated. It was also suggested that exchanges might take place between the
legislatures at the provincial/state levels.
The Parliamentarians urged the two Governments to continue to move forward on the road
to attaining and maintaining peace and security through dialogue.