New Delhi: In another step towards improving bilateral ties, India and Pakistan have "agreed in principle" to reopen their Consulates in Karachi and Mumbai and to restore the strength of the respective High Commissions to 110, it was officially announced today (June 23, 2004).

These decisions were taken during intensive parleys External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh had with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri in the East Chinese coastal city of Qingdao on Monday.

"This would be further discussed and operationalised when the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries meet on June 27 and 28," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told.

The reopening of the two consulates is expected to considerably ease pressure on the two High Commissions in Islamabad and New Delhi which have to deal with increasing number of visa-seekers.

The Pakistan Government closed down the Indian Consulate-General in Karachi in 1994 while the Pakistani Mission in Mumbai also stopped functioning several years back.

With increasing people-to-people contacts, revival of sporting contacts besides air, road and rail links, restoring the strength of the respective High Commission to 110 is likely to help their better functioning.

In the wake of the December 13 terror attack on Parliament House, India had announced several measures including slashing by 50 per cent the staff strength of the Pakistan High Commission of 110. Islamabad retaliated immediately by doing the same.

The numbers went down from 55 to 47 in tit-for-tat expulsions by the two sides of personnel on ground of spying.

As part of the confidence-building measures announced by the two countries, it was decided to increase the strength to 75.