US embassy cable - 04NEWDELHI7424

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 007424 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/15/2014 
TAGS: PREL, ETRD, IN, PK, INDO-PAK 
SUBJECT: GOI DOCUMENT: INDO-PAK PROPOSALS WHERE INDIA 
PERCIEVES HEEL DRAGGING 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 7395 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoffrey Pyatt, Reasons 1.4 (B,D). 
 
1.  (C) During a November 19 meeting reviewing the agenda for 
the upcoming Indo-Pak composite dialogue (reftel), MEA Joint 
Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Arun K. Singh shared 
 
SIPDIS 
with us four papers outlining progress in the Indo-Pak 
relationship since 2003, pending bilateral proposals, 
unilateral Indian actions, and areas where India perceives 
Pakistan to be dragging its feet.  In the following paper, 
the GOI highlights areas in which they are making overtures 
and believe the GOP is not responding.  These claims focus in 
particular on the GOI perception that Islamabad has put the 
brakes on people to people contacts. 
 
2.  (SBU) Begin Text GOI paper: 
 
Release of Indian civilian prisoners in Pak jails 
 
1. India has granted consular access to 50 Pak prisoners in 
Indian custody and released 55 such prisoners in the period 
October 2003-0ctober 2004. The release of 16 more Pakistani 
civilian prisoners is being scheduled for November 9, 2004. 
In comparison, Pakistan has granted consular access to only 
18 Indian civilian prisoners and has released 38 prisoners in 
the corresponding period. Consular access to a few more 
Pakistani prisoners (around 30) is being planned in November 
2004. 
 
Visits by Indian pilgrims to religious shrines in Pakistan 
 
1. Request for the visit of a jatha of 101 sikh pilgrims to 
Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib on 15th April 2004 on the occasion 
of 500th birth anniversary of Guru Angad Devji was not 
responded to. 
 
2. Request for the visit of a jatha (group) of 200 Sikh 
pilgrims to Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib from 21 to 30 September 
2004 to mark the occasion of Jyoti Jot Gurpub (the day Guru 
Nanak Devji left for heavenly abode) was not responded to. 
 
3. Request for the visit of a group of 500 Sikh pilgrims to 
visit Gurdwara Chuna Mandi from October 6-10,2004 on the 
occasion of birth anniversary of Guru Ramdas ji on 9 October 
was not responded to. 
 
4. Request for the visit of a group of 25 pilgrims to Rehan 
Gaon, Ghotki from 22-25 October 2004 on the occasion of 140th 
birth anniversary of Sant Satramdas Dham was not responded 
to. 
 
5. No response to our request for the visit of a group of 20 
pilgrims to Shadani Darbar, Swami Narayan Mandir, Karachi and 
other places from 6-18 December 2004. 
 
6. The next Jatha of Indian pilgrims on the occasion Guru 
Nanak Devji's birth anniversary will be visiting Pakistan 
from 21-30 November 2004. We have proposed to increase the 
number of pilgrims from the present agreed 3,000 to 5,000. A 
formal approval is awaited. 
 
Indian fishermen 
 
1. Visas for a 9-member delegation from the Indian Fishermen 
and Boat Association to visit Pakistan to undertake repairs 
for 75 Indian boats to be used during repatriation of Indian 
fishermen. (Matter pending since 25 May 2004). 
 
2. Repatriation of 266 Indian fishermen whose nationality has 
already been confirmed by HCI (High Commission of India), 
Islamabad, has been delayed. 
 
3. Consular access for the remaining 140 Indian fishermen 
arrested between March and May 2004 and more than 100 Indian 
fishermen arrested in September 2004 has not been granted. 
 
4. Consular access for 6 Indian fishermen who had drifted 
from Oman to Pakistan's territorial waters on 23 May 2004 and 
detained by Pakistani authorities has not been granted. 
 
5. We had inquired about one Indian Ship, Nigahe Hulk, with 
six crew members, missing since June 2003 off the coast of 
Iran/Pakistan. Iran has confirmed that they don't have any 
information. We are awaiting a response. 
General matters 
 
1. Visa for 3 new Liaison Officers of DTC on Delhi-Lahore Bus 
service pending from May, June and August 04. 
 
2. Visas for a technical team to travel to Islamabad for 
installation of CCTV in HCI (High Commission of India) 
premises. (matter pending since March 2004) 
 
3. Visa for security officer of Indian Airlines to visit 
Karachi (matter pending for several months). 
Recent Negative Developments 
-- The Pakistan Ministry of Interior has not granted NOC for 
holding "Made in India" Exhibition that was to be organized 
in Lahore in October 2004 by FICCI and PCCI. The exhibition 
had to be postponed. 
 
-- The Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, Kanwar 
Sandhu, who was accompanying the Chief Minister of Haryana on 
a goodwill visit to Pakistan, was deported by Pak 
authorities. 
 
-- The Pakistan Ministry of Commerce has reportedly declined 
to issue NOC to the Petroleum Ministry of Pakistan for 
importing diesel from India. 
 
-- Some unidentified persons entered the house of Counselor 
(Pol) in Islamabad on the midnight of 30 Sept 2004, when he 
was away to Peshawar, and threatened his domestic help. This 
appeared to be the work of the intelligence authorities. 
 
-- There has been an increase in the intensity of 
surveillance of officials over the last 10-12 weeks. 
 
-- First Secretary (Com), High Commission of India (HCI), 
Islamabad, was not granted permission to travel to Karachi to 
accompany an Indian textile delegation. 
 
--Counselor (Pol), HCI, Islamabad, was not granted permission 
to travel to Naushera to attend the Jamaat-e-Isiami 
convention. 
 
-- The Naval Adviser's father, on a short visit to Pakistan, 
was not granted permission to travel outside Islamabad. 
 
(In contrast to the above, we have been liberal in grant of 
visas / travel permission to PHC staff and families.) 
End text. 
BLAKE