In a latest development, the government of Pakistan has decided to launch an online visa application system. The move will empower issuance of visas to all the foreigners via Pakistani missions abroad.
Interior Minister of Pakistan Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan announced this development during a press conference on Tuesday. While addressing the audience, he stated:
“The government has taken multiple steps to make the system of issuance of visas transparent”
In addition to introducing an online visa application system, the government of Pakistan also plans to increase the visa fees which will ultimately make them equivalent to the ones charged from Pakistanis.
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Online visa application system to be supplemented by a Digital Databank
It is pertinent to state that the newly to-be-introduced online visa application system will be accompanied by a digital databank for the issuance of visas to all the foreigners. Moreover, it will be issued through Pakistan missions across the world.
Chaudhry Nisar has already asked National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) to setup the database. He said:
“The practice that ‘the right-hand does not know what the left hand is doing’ should be eliminated completely. Anyone’s name, who is applying for the Pakistani visa, will be in the record for [cross] checking of government functionaries and security agencies”
For the reference, the government of Pakistan has already introduced an online appointment method for Pakistanis who are residing in U.A.E. Subsequently, they do not have to stand in the long queues to apply for the passports and National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP).
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Immigration Service Department is now a Separate Entity
In another development, Chaudhry Nisar publicized the separation of Immigration Service Department from Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). While terming it as a separate entity from now onwards, he commented:
“The FIA should not have any connection with the Immigration Department and it must be a separate service”
The online visa application system will ensure that everyone goes through rigorous process and that nobody can enter in Pakistan without proper and valid documentation.
