ISLAMABAD – China has relaxed visa policy/restrictions for Pakistanicitizens, revealed chairman Senate Standing committee on Interior.
In the background of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Pakistan wasissuing visas to Chinese without any restrictions; however, China was notthat helpful on reciprocal basis.
Committee chairman said that recently the visa issue was raised with avisiting Chinese delegation. In response to his request, China has agreedto relax visa restriction/ policy for Pakistan business community as wellas others. He further said that a letter in this regard has been receivedfrom the Chinese authorities.
The committee met here on Monday, where directives were issued to concerneddepartments to withdraw the permission given to foreign missions forsending Pakistani passports abroad for stamping visas.
Committee chairman said that earlier due to law and order situationscabinet had granted approval to some foreign missions to send Pakistanipassports abroad for stamping visas. However, situations have improved inthe country and the permission granted to foreign missions should bewithdrawn.
While discussing the matters of Immigration and Passport Office, theCommittee expressed concerns on how the black list is being managed. TheChairman Committee recommended that in presence of the Exit Control List(ECL), the current black list should not be used for criminal cases;instead it should only pertain to offences related to passports.
He said blacklist has no legal status and neither anyone should be includedin blacklist on the desire or complaint of someone rather court order. TheCommittee also suggested changing the name of the list from black list torestrictive list and called for the administrative minister to be in-chargefor deciding the cases of adding or removing names from the list instead oftaking it before cabinet for every case.
Malik asked the interior ministry to formulate compact rules and criteriafor placing anyone’s name on the ECL and black list, adding that it is thebasic responsibility of concerned authority/department to inform theaccused person before placing his name either on ECL or black list withinthe week.
He said that it is the right of accused to have prior information beforetraveling so that one can avail the legal right to appeal. Malik alsodirected the DG Immigration and Passport to provide the facility ofprinting passports for oversees Pakistanis in their respective country asoversees Pakistanis are backbone of the country’s economy and they shouldbe facilitated maximum.