Since January, India has rejected over 50% visa applications from Pakistan: Report

Reason could be stringent security measured adopted by Indian agencies in wake of Pathankot attack

There has been a sharp decline in grant of visas to Pakistani nationals by India, with every second application rejected this year, reported UK's Daily Mail on Thursday. 

The rise in number of rejections, the report said, has resulted in Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale asking New Delhi for the reason behind so many denials.

According to the Economic Times, officials have said that over 50% of Pakistani visa applications have been rejected by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs between January and May this year. 

Citing government statistics, ET pointed out that 35,021 Pakistani nationals had applied for an Indian visa between January 1 to May 31 in 2016. Of that number, only 17,481 applications were approved, while the rest were rejected.  

The report added that, in 2015, more than 31,000 visas were granted out of 39,800 applications received by the Indian high commission at Islamabad from January 1 to May 31 that year. Additionally, in 2014, the report said that more than 39,000 applications, out of the 47,000 received between January to May that year, were accepted and visas granted.    

Citing officials, the report said that the drastic fall in the number of visas being granted could be because of stringent measures being adopted by security agencies. 

According to the Daily Mail report, Bambawale, in a recent communication to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, said: “I would be grateful if the reasons for the drastic increase in rejected visas can be ascertained and conveyed. If there is no plausible reason for drastic visa reductions then please do help in ensuring that the proportion rejected visas is retained.”