New Delhi
July 4, 2001

In order to enhance people-to-people ties, especially among the youth of India and Pakistan, Prime Minister has decided the following:

20 scholarships will be offered to students from Pakistan in Indian technical institutions;

Pakistani poets, academics, writers and artistes will be invited individually, or in groups for a month long visit each, as guests of the Government of India;

Groups of Pakistani students (from school to university, boys and girls) will be invited by the Government to visit and tour Indian academic establishments.

2. Desirous of a permanent resolution of the problems of Indian and Pakistani fishermen, who from time to time, are taken into custody, the Prime Minister has instructed that the Indian Coast Guard will not in future take Pakistani fishermen, who inadvertently transgress into our waters, in custody. Henceforth, they will be turned back after due warning.

3. The Prime Minister has also instructed the Ministry of Home Affairs to take expeditious action for the release of all Pakistani ‘civilian’ prisoners currently in India, after due processes of law.

4. In order to encourage Pakistani imports into India, Prime Minister has instructed the Ministry of Commerce to reduce/eliminate tariff on 50 tariff lines. These lines will be identified and instructions to this effect issued before 15 August 2001.