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NEW DELHI: While tensions weigh down India Pakistan relations, the recentresumption of Track II discussions has opened up the possibility of easingstrains.

India wants to hold dialogues with Pakistan on its own terms in fields ofculture, education and entertainment while leaving aside core issues ofKashmir, Siachen and Terrorism.

It should not become another “Aman Ki Asha”.

The South Asian University and denial of visas to Pakistani students eligiblefor admission; figured in the Neemrana Dialogue held in Islamabad earlierthis week, Times of India has reported.

While there was not much change in the positions taken by both countries onkey concerns around terrorism and Kashmir, there was some agreement thatgreater cultural and academic collaboration between the two nations.

India will be holding dialogue on these issues while ignoring Kashmir andterrorism inside Pakistan, which are part of core interest of Pakistan.

Pakistani participants are said to have raised concerns over India denyingvisas to Pakistani students who applied to the university located in NewDelhi.

The SAU was established by the South Asian Association for RegionalCooperation link> in 2010 to provideacademic opportunities in the subcontinent and promote a sense of the SouthAsian community. It has a student quota for each country.

ET gathers that both sides agreed that irritants to the visa process shouldbe avoided, especially for academic collaborations specifically piloted tofoster regional cooperation.

Amid the chill between the countries, India had denied visas to 15Pakistani students who were eligible for admission to SAU in 2017-18. Sixof them had even paid the registration fee, which had to be refunded. While58 Pakistanis appeared for SAU entrance exam last year, 50 applicants tookthe test in Karachi and Lahore this year.