India Expresses its Opposition to Stapled Visas to Kashmiris

Though the two countries inked pact to set up hotline between their prime ministers, India has made clear its opposition to China on its renewed practice of issuing stapled visas to Kashmiris and to the development work it is carrying out in Pakistan-occupied
Kashmir, reports said.

“We do not accept the stapled visas on the passports of residents from Jammu and Kashmir. Our position in this regard was again made clear during the talks,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao was quoted as saying while talking to reporters.

India maintains that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and there shouldn’t be any kind of discrimination between residents of the state and rest of the country.

Briefing on the talks External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had with Chinese leadership, Rao was quoted as saying, “They (the Chinese side) listened attentively to what we said. We underlined the need for more sensitivity to be shown to Indian concerns in this regard.”

(Based on internet reports)