ISLAMABAD, 23 August 2021, (TON): Islamabad and New Delhi have issued assignment visas to each other's diplomats after a gap of around 28 months as both sides are trying to normalise ties that have been on ice since 2019 when a suicide bomber targeted a military convoy in Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

Later that year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdrew IIOJK’s semi-autonomous status to tighten his grip over the occupied territory, provoking outrage in Pakistan and the downgrading of diplomatic ties and suspension of bilateral trade.

Pakistan and India have issued a large number of assignment visas to each other's diplomatic staff in recent weeks.

Both countries have issued visas on all applications submitted by March 15 this year.

Pakistan issued visas to 33 Indian officials, while seven Pakistani diplomats received assignment visas from India.

Sources said that there was a possibility of an agreement between Pakistan and India to issue visas on assignment applications by June 15.

The two countries are likely to issue more visas to each other's diplomats after that.