On the occasion of Diwali, India has extended help to Pakistani nationals who were seeking their treatment in India.  Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs has asked Indian mission at Islamabad to issue Medical Visas to all deserving Pakistanis applicants.

Moreover India has issued 13 medical Visas so far this month as goodwill gesture to Pakistani nationals seeking treatment. Among those who were granted visas included two patients for bone marrow transplants and a five year toddler suffering from eye cancer.

Several critically ill patients and their relatives keep contacting Sushma Swaraj through twitter  for getting medical visas for treatment. In return Swaraj asked Indian High Commission in Islamabad to issue visas to the patients and their attendants.

On August 15, Ministry of External Affairs had announced that India would provide medical visas to all bonafide Pakistani patients. It is understood that this was part of India’s gesture for strengthening people to people ties despite hurdles created by Pakistani army.

However, people have reacted differently on Sushma Swaraj’s move for granting medical visas to Pakistani nationals. One Zalim Singh wrote a message to Sushma Swaraj saying, “bhar do madam….Rohingya to phale hi ghusa diya h ap logo n inhe bhi bhar do…”  (fill them up madam…you have already brought Rohingyas, now get them in now).

But at the same time Onkar Sharan said “it’s medical visa, matters of Medical urgence should be kept apart.”

One Kaushik Sharma reminds the plight of Kulbhushan Jadhav family’s pending visa application to visit Pakistan saying, “Friendship must be two way street madam. They are yet to give visa to Kulbhushan Jadhav’s family. Hope you follow up this issue with them.”

Reacting to this, one Abdullah from Pakistan said, “Jadhav’s case is different. India is holding some Pakistanis in their jails over spying allegations too. Let’s not mix these two topics.”