Pakistan orders embassies to NOT issue visas to Afghan nationals

Islamabad/Kabul: Amid deteriorating ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Islamabad’s Foreign Office has ordered its embassies in European countries to not issue visas to Afghan citizens until further orders. This came after the alleged visa scandal of the issuance of Pakistani visas to 1,600 Afghan nationals on fake residential cards of Sweden, ARY News reported. According to sources, Pakistan’s foreign ministry has issued directions to its embassies across Europe to avoid giving visas to Afghan citizens. Pakistan’s Foreign Office has issued the orders to the Pakistani embassies in the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Ireland and Netherlands. Visa scandal Earlier, local media reported that Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched an inquiry into the issuance of visas to citizens of Afghanistan by a Pakistan mission in Europe on bogus residence cards of Sweden. As many as 1,600 visas were issued by Pakistan embassy in Sweden to Afghan nationals on bogus residence cards. After taking cognizance, Pakistan’s Foreign Office ordered an immediate inquiry and asked all Pakistani missions abroad to stop issuing visas of any category to Afghan nationals. Moreover, the ministry has asked the concerned authorities to cancel all the visas granted to the Afghans. Recently, Afghanistan’s embassy in Pakistan stated that Islamabad officials have pledged to address the issues regarding visas to Afghan citizens. Islamabad further pledged that Afghan immigrants would not be imprisoned in Pakistan, embassy representatives said, according to TOLO News. “During the meeting, several important issues were discussed and an understanding was achieved, including the visa challenges of Afghans, which Afghans cannot get easily,” said Zarif Qasemi, in charge of consular affairs of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad. ‘Special Cards’ Earlier, it was reported that authorities in Pakistan’s North Waziristan have decided to issue special cards to Pakistani nationality holders staying in the border areas of Afghanistan in order to facilitate their hassle-free cross-border movement. Also Read: A safe decision? Pakistan to give travel passes to nationality holders in Afghanistan In recent times, Pakistan has witnessed a massive spike in terror activities and smuggling of millions of dollars into Afghanistan from Pakistan on a daily basis. While the special cards will make it easy for Pakistani nationality holders staying in the border areas of Afghanistan to travel across the country, the decision also involves the risk of cross border terrorism and hike in dollar smuggling from Islamabad to Kabul. A report by Bloomberg recently stated that millions of dollars are being smuggled into Afghanistan from Pakistan on a daily basis. Traders and smugglers carry as much as $5 million from Pakistan into Afghanistan daily, the report said while quoting Muhammad Zafar Paracha, general secretary of the Pakistan Exchange Companies Association, a 26-member body of currency dealers. (With inputs from agencies) Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.