China denies visa to leading Kashmiri doc, four others

New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) With India objecting to stapled
visas being issued to those from Jammu and Kashmir, China
appears to have adopted a new policy of denying visas to those
born in the state.
One of India's leading cardiologists U Kaul, also a Padma
Shri awardee, and four others born in the northernmost Indian
state of Jammu and Kashmir have been refused visas to travel
to Beijing for a conference on cardiology which he was to have
chaired four days back.
Kaul, who has been to China four times before, was
surprised at the denial of visa to him and to the four others.
He said there was no reason given for visa rejection.
However, another doctor, who is of Kashmiri origin but
born outside the state, was given a visa for the same
conference.
A Chinese Embassy spokesman said he could not comment on
these cases immediately due to absence of details. However,
there was no change in Chinese policy of issuing stapled visas
to those born in Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
For the last couple of years, the Chinese Embassy has
been stapling a visa in a separate sheet to applicants from
Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh state in northeast
India. For the people of all other Indian states, it pastes
the document on the passport as is the norm.
India, which has taken up the issue with China, does not
accept the stapled visa as valid and does not allow travel to
that country on it. PTI PYK
MRD