India proposes mutual recognition of Covid vaccine certificates to Pakistan
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As on October 20, India has an agreement with 11 countries for mutual recognition vaccination certificate for individuals fully vaccinated with nationally recognised or WHO recognised COVID-19 vaccines
India has proposed mutual recognition of Covid vaccine certificates to Pakistan. This would mean that travellers from either country can enter the respective country without any hassles with regards to Covid vaccination, and will be allowed to leave the airport/ transport hub as per laid norms.
This will essentially ease the movement of people as Covid crisis abates.
So far, there hasn't been any word from Islamabad on the issue. However, if Pakistan agrees to it, this will help many Indian pilgrims, especially the Indian Sikh pilgrims who will be going to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur once it is opened. A corridor was opened to the holy Gurdwara, with much fanfare, that allowed visa free travel from India to Pakistan. However, operations had to be suspended as Covid took over the world.
Travel between India and Pakistan was impacted due to Covid, like every other country. However, before that, Islamabad had taken steps to decrease people to people movement in the aftermath of India removing special status for the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. Pakistan had also suspended all rail, bus services between the two countries, following New Delhi's decision.
Indian proposal comes days after New Delhi sent out invite to Islamabad for National Security Advisors meet on Afghanistan. New Delhi will be hosting a meet of NSA in the second week of November with countries such as Pakistan, Iran, Russia, China and some central Asian countries.
For Pakistan, the country's NSA Moeed Yusuf who has been invited.
As on October 20, India has an agreement with 11 countries for mutual recognition vaccination certificate for individuals fully vaccinated with nationally recognised or WHO recognised COVID-19 vaccines. These countries are UK, France, Germany, Nepal, Belarus, Lebanon, Armenia, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary and Serbia.
India is reaching out to more countries for mutual recognition of vaccine certificate. Earlier this week, India and Israel agreed on mutual recognition of Covid vaccine certificate which will help in easy movement of people. EAM, after his meeting with Israeli FM, Yair Lapid, said, "I know, in principle we have agreed on mutual recognition of our vaccination certification process. And while we are working that out, in the interim, Israel would allow people, having Covishield vaccines to travel to Israel".
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