The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has temporarily stopped issuing Pakistani visas in several countries, including European Union (EU), due to the submission of fake Swedish residence cards by 1,600 Afghans, for visas.
MoFA sent a letter to all Pakistani missions in the EU, reportedly ordering them to stop giving visas to Afghan nationals, effective from 8 February.
It was sent to embassies/consulates in London, Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Frankfurt, Athens, Lisbon, Berne, Vienna, Copenhagen, Oslo, Brussels, and the Hague.
It remains to be seen when the ban will be lifted. The investigation against 1,600 visas issued to Afghans has begun. Some Afghan families in Pakistan have expressed concern over the decision since their family members in the EU can’t visit them due to the ban.
MoFA has clarified that the decision isn’t discriminatory, and the issue will be addressed soon. A Foreign Office official stated that a legal way must be followed for visas and presenting fake documents is intolerable.
Via The Nation
