ISLAMABAD: In a remarkable move towards streamlining visa procedures, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, has taken bold steps towards improving the visa application process for Afghan nationals.
Acknowledging the intricate nature of the process during the Senate’s question hour, Minister Hina underlined the substantial influx of routine visa requests received by national foreign missions, thereby making the process multifaceted.
In her address, Hina Rabbani Khar elucidated the national diplomatic mission’s unwavering commitment to extending leniency in visa approvals for reasons pertaining to health or humanitarian grounds. Nonetheless, she emphasized that this well-intentioned flexibility was sometimes exploited by Afghan nationals, leading to challenges within the system.
Afghan Visa Issuance Violations
She also made an important revelation as Hina unveiled a comprehensive overhaul of the entire visa issuance mechanism. She disclosed that an individual named Sair Khan, who served as a Cypher Assistant at the Pakistani embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, had been found to be in breach of government guidelines by issuing visas to Afghan nationals. Immediate and decisive action was taken, leading to Khan’s swift recall from his mission. Additionally, the matter was referred to the Federal Investigation Agency for an exhaustive inquiry and appropriate action.
The authority, presently, to grant visas, especially under circumstances requiring special considerations, now rests solely with the head of the mission. This recent shift in power was implemented within the last two months, with the delegation of such authority withdrawn from other embassy personnel.
Embarking on a path of modernization, Hina elaborated on the launch of an innovative online visa application system. To ensure meticulous evaluation of all prerequisites before visa approval, designated staff members have been entrusted with this pivotal responsibility.
In response to queries raised by senators, State Minister said that initiatives will bring transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the domain of visa issuance for Afghan nationals.
