Pakistan's Afghan visa policy remains unchanged: FO

Foreign Office on Wednesday insisted that Pakistan's visa policy with regard to Afghan nationals has not been changed and the country's Mission in Kabul issues around 3,800 visas daily. Taking to the Twitter, Foreign Office Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said the visas to Afghan nationals are issued free of cost and the number of visas being issued daily to Afghan nationals is more in number than nationals of any other country.
"Pakistan's Afghan visa policy remains unchanged. Pak Mission in Afghanistan issued around 3,800 visas a day to Afghans, more than any other country. Visas are issued free of cost," he stated in a tweet. The statement comes in the wake of media reports which claim that Pakistan has abolished on-arrival visa facility for Afghan nationals at airports and border crossings, citing security concerns following some recent terror incidents in the country.
Director of the Immigration Wing at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ismatullah Junejo reportedly told media persons on Wednesday that under the revised policy, certain restrictions would in place on movement of Afghan citizens in Pakistan.
After entering the country, he said that Afghan visitors would be required to fill in special registration forms to provide details of the duration and place of their stay in the country, adding that the details would then be shared with relevant police stations for further verification.
Junejo was further quoted as having said that the verification process would allow immigration authorities to issue a residence permit to the Afghan visa-holders and the visitors will be required to return the permit before leaving Pakistan.
Pakistan has made strict border arrangements recently including fencing an overall 2,611 kilometres porous Pakistan-Afghan border of which 643 kilometres have already been fenced to facilitate trade and check illegal cross-border movement.
Meanwhile, sources said that a high-level Afghan delegation led by Afghan President's Special Envoy for Regional Consensus for Afghan Peace Mohammad Umer Daudzai, who is on the visit to the country till January 11, held delegation level talks at Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
They said that the two sides exchanged views on the overall bilateral relations including cooperation on trade and economy, especially Pakistan-aided Afghan peace process. They said that the issue of the problems being faced to Afghan citizens due to security concerns also came under discussion.
The visiting Afghan delegation also visited Wali Bagh in Charsadda and met President Awami National Party (ANP) Asfandyar Wali Khan and exchanged views with him on the Afghan peace process.