CHINA-LD KASHMIR 2

Asked how many such visas they issue every year, the
Chinese Embassy official put the number at less than 100.

The official said the issue is being played up as one
of the Kashmiri students had approached the media.

Asked to comment on the development, Defence
Minister A K Antony said "whether it is Jammu and Kashmir or
Arunachal Pradesh, all are integral parts of India. For us,
every inch of India is one. There are channels of dealing with
our neighbours whenever any issue arises and we always use
them to raise our point of view".

Official sources said the Chinese Embassy had started
this practice about a year back and in the process a number of
Kashmiris were unable to travel as immigration authorities at
the airport did not accept this kind of visa.

The latest development came to light when the affected
people spoke to the media in Kashmir about three weeks back on
returning dismayed.

"We were given the stapled one (visa)," Bilal Ahmad
Beigh, one of the affected students, was quoted as saying.

Quoting the chief visa officer at the Chinese embassy in
New Delhi, Beigh said she had told them: "Chinese government
welcomes you. Otherwise, we would have not given you the visa.
We can’t reveal the reasons behind the two types of visas as
it’s against our national interest."

Another student Shuja Altaf Mir said "I visited China
in 2004 without any problem but immigration officials are
citing some unknown reasons, saying China acknowledges Kashmir
as a disputed territory." (more) PTI