Nisar for establishing Centralized Digital Databank for visa issuance to foreigners

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior, Chauhdry Nisar Ali Khan Monday directed National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to establish a Centralized Digital Databank for the issuance of visa to foreigners through Pakistan's Missions across the world.

The mechanism would help the foreigners to get an online visa appointment for any category of visas for travelling to Pakistan. At the same time it will bring transparency and clarity into the system.

He was chairing a meeting attended by secretary interior, chairman NADRA, director general air wing and senior officers from interior ministry.

The minister said the mechanism would help state to keep a check on all aliens visiting the country.

He observed that there was still a need to make the whole exercise more transparent.

He said a lot had been done during the last three years to ensure that no alien should enter in Pakistan without proper documents and these documents should be duly verified.

He directed NADRA to develop an online system for issuance of visas so that everything should come on record and there was absolutely no space for irregularity.

The meeting also discussed future of Ministry of Interior's Air Wing post 2017.

Chaudhry Nisar said, "Air cover of Ministry of Interior is for its fight against terrorism, militancy, extremism, and drug peddlers in the most sensitive areas across Pak-Afghan border and specifically in Balochistan and it has been a source of great support for our security forces in this respect."

He also imposed a ban on NADRA from taking buildings on rent, besides refraining it from purchasing land on commercial rates for establishment of its offices.

He directed NADRA to review rates given to private contractors for renovation of NADRA mega centers and all its centers across the country.

The minister asked NADRA to establish new rules and regulations for infusing transparency for hiring private contractors since public money was not meant for doling out favors to the contractor mafia.

He said NADRA should approach all provincial governments for purchasing of land for its offices on government rates and gave one week deadline to NADRA for putting up a proposal in regards to establishment rules and regulations for the contractors and settling their rates for construction/ renovation.

He said looking at financial wrongdoings of the past over purchase of land and building on rent, it was imperative that such practice should be stopped for good.

National Technology Limited (NTL), a software company established by NADRA, was also closed down as per directive of the minister.

The minister said the NTL was source of financial misappropriation and had been closed down mainly to plug financial bungling.

He said despite closure of the NTL, the international commitments of NADRA would not be affected since requisite amendments would be done to address NADRA's international obligations and contracts with foreign institutions and countries.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2017