Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has said she will be granting medical visa to the student from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Osama Ali, who is suffering from liver cancer making a U-turn from her earlier stance.

“POK is an integral part of India. Pakistan has illegally occupied it. We are giving him visa. No letter required,” Swaraj tweeted on Tuesday.

Swaraj had on July 9 stated that she would need a letter from the Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s advisor on foreign affairs in order to grant visa to the 24 year-old student from Rawalkot, Pakistan.

She had even said that Aziz should not find it difficult to grant a letter to Ali who is a national from his “own country.”

She had said Pakistan nationals planning for treatment in India will be granted medical visas “immediately” if they come with a recommendation letter from Aziz.

“I have my sympathies for all Pakistan nationals seeking medical visa for their treatment in India. I am sure Mr.Sartaj Aziz also has consideration for the nationals of his country. All that we require is his recommendation for the grant of medical visa to Pakistan nationals. I see no reason why should he hesitate to give his recommendation for nationals of his own country,” Swaraj tweeted on July 9.

However, the Pakistani government had stated that this is unprecedented and there is no such provision of granting a letter to Pakistani nationals seeking medical visa to come for treatment in India.

Ali will be admitted in a private hospital in South Delhi.

Swaraj had also linked the matter with that of Indian citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is serving death sentence in Pakistan on charges of espionage and terrorism, and the letter she had written to Aziz asking visa for his mother.

She had even berated Aziz for not even acknowledging her letter.

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