The Hindu : News / International : New Pak curbs on travel to India irks artistes and civil society
ISLAMABAD, February 26, 2011
New Pak curbs on travel to India irks artistes and civil society
Anita Joshua Share · Comment · print · T+
The decision of the federal government to impose restrictions on overseas travel on certain professional groups including artistes has upset a cross-section of society and brought back memories of the Zia era when such 'No Objection Certificates’ were the norm.
That NoCs would be required by certain categories of people travelling overseas including artistes and those going on scholarships was announced by Interior Minister Rehman Malik in the National Assembly earlier this week in the wake of celebrated singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s detention in India for trying to exit the country with $1,24,000 in currency notes.
In the absence of a written notification, there is no clarity on the issue but the Interior Ministry convened a meeting with the Culture Ministry on Friday and informed it that the new regime would have to be implemented from March 15. The Pakistan National Council of the Arts has been asked to start registering artistes forthwith to facilitate the NoC regime.
Describing the move as a foolish curb on rights, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed disgust and alarm at the introduction of restrictions for Pakistanis travelling to India from March 15. According to HRCP, the decision was contrary to human rights and a bid to put the clock back.
"Ridiculous decisions such as this are precisely why the security and prestige of the country are where they are. Not only is the decision bound to be counterproductive in a region where the people have long suffered because of the iron curtain that regional borders have become, but the mandatory requirement to obtain NoC from the Interior Ministry violates the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,’’ an HRCP statement said.
Elsewhere, in Pakistan’s cultural capital, Lahore, artistes expressed disappointment that a regime led by the Pakistan People’s Party should have borrowed a leaf out of the Zia era. It was abolished by former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. ``We find this announcement retrogressive, repressive, arbitrary and violative of fundamental rights protected by the Constitution. The government has absolutely no right to restrict movement of persons who are not even employed by it.’’
Keywords: Pakistan curbs, Indo-Pak relations, overseas travel
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