NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan finalized the draft of a new Bilateral Visa Agreement to ease travel for nationals of both countries to visit the other, Press Trust of India reported.

The draft was finalized during a second meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) on visa matters which also examined modalities for streamlining visa procedures.

The two-day meeting, held in pursuance of the decision taken during India-Pakistan Home/ Interior Secretary-level talks held in March, was a follow-up on deliberations held in the first meeting of JWG in Islamabad in June this year.

It was attended by Anil Goswami, Additional Secretary (Foreigners), Ministry of Home Affairs and Nasar Hayat, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Interior from Pakistan.

“The discussions were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. The two sides finalized draft text of the agreement which will be submitted to the respective governments for obtaining necessary approvals in order to sign the agreement at an early date,” MEA said.

KARACHI, Pakistan- Emirates has unveiled major expansion plans for Pakistan with the launch of additional flights to Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.

Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore and Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad will both be served by non-stop flights seven times a week from October 31, 2011 and November 2, 2011 respectively while Peshawar International Airport will be served by three weekly flights from November 5, 2011.

"The additional flights to Pakistan emphasize Emirates' long-term commitment to the country. Since the launch of the airline with our inaugural flight to Karachi, Pakistan has held special significance for Emirates," said Majid Al Mualla, Emirates Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations - West Asia & Indian Ocean.

"Services from the four gateways will offer Pakistani travellers and businesses/exporters increased connectivity with the UAE and onwards with the rest of the world through our global network."

"These additional flights to the northern sector of the country were made possible by the strong support and efforts of the Government of Pakistan which reflect the trust they have placed in the airline. The launch of additional services will create greater socio-economic opportunities for Pakistan and Dubai as increased passenger flow will help flourish additional businesses," continued Mr. Al Mualla.

"The evolving market structure, improved accessibility, rise in remittances and rising consumer spending due to the expanding population are reshaping the aviation sector in Pakistan and Emirates is keen to continue to strengthen its presence in the country."

The non-oil trade between Pakistan and Dubai crossed US$ 2.5 billion in 2010 and has witnessed a steep increase in the past few years backed by higher demand for Pakistani products such as textiles, food items, rice, cement, etc. The new services of Emirates will provide Pakistani exporters with greater export capacity to the UAE and strengthen the country's export potential via the airline's global connections.

The services will be operated by Boeing 777 and Airbus A330-200 aircraft offering the highest standards of passenger comfort, with luxurious lie-flat beds in Business Class and generously sized Economy Class seats.

Passengers in all classes can lose themselves in the much enjoyed and celebrated ICE in-flight entertainment system. In addition, Pakistani passengers can look forward to gourmet food in all cabins and seamless transfers to a global network of over 110 destinations through Emirates' state-of-the-art Terminal 3 hub in Dubai.

The launch of new services will allow Emirates to fly 45 times a week to Pakistani cities including Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar.