PTI
 
New Delhi, Jan 25: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday night approved creation of the post of Consul General for the Consulate General of India (CGI) in Karachi.

However, the time frame for reopening of consulates of the two countries in the Pakistani city and Mumbai remained uncertain.

Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi said that reopening of the CGI in Karachi would be a significant landmark in the ongoing process of normalisation of its relations with Pakistan.

The consulate generals of the two countries, closed down in January 1995, would be opened in Mumbai and Karachi during this year, he said. Dasmunsi said an expenditure of Rs 3.99 crore would be incurred on creation of 61 new posts.

"It is expected that the Consulate General in Karachi would face severe pressure for visa issuance around 20,000 to 30,000 visas per month," Dasmunshi said.

Before the CGI Karachi was closed down, it was issuing approximately 1,000 visas per day during the peak years, he said.

The two countries, as part of confidence building measures, had decided to reopen the consulates in Karachi and Mumbai by January 1. India has already named Navdeep Suri as its Consul General in Karachi.

However, Pakistan's difficulty in finding a location to house its Consulate in Mumbai has delayed the process indefinitely.