Saudi Ambassador makes important statement over media reports of visa change policy for Pakistanis
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The Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, has announced that there is no change in the visa policy for Pakistani nationals traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
While speaking to the media, Al-Malki said that Pakistanis are not being asked to leave KSA unless they do not have valid documents. The government of KSA is conducting an operation against illegal immigrants of all nationalities in the kingdom and this decision is not exclusive to Pakistan, he said. ------------------------------
The ambassador clarified, “People holding iqamas and valid visas are not being asked to leave”.
Meanwhile, 1,500 Pakistanis who had been residing illegally in KSA have been deported. Concerns about the deportation of Pakistanis from KSA increased after the UAE suspended the issuing of new visas to the citizens of Pakistan and twelve other countries. ------------------------------
On a separate note, the Saudi Ambassador spoke with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, and the latter reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to continue promoting and diversifying bilateral cooperation.
He said that both the countries have strong historical ties, thus they need to avail of opportunities and enhance cooperation in various fields.
