ISLAMABAD (APP): Ministry of Interior and Narcotics Control Thursday strongly contradicted a statement of former interior minister regarding issuance of visas `secretly’ to foreigners and termed it as “incorrect and baseless.”
A spokesperson of interior ministry challenged the former interior minister to quote even one instance where unqualified individual had been granted official or diplomatic visa for Pakistan.
The spokesperson reiterated his call that if the ex-minister had any proof in this regard, he should come up with it publicly.
The issuance of visa had nothing to do with Coalition Support Fund (CSP), he said adding the former minister seemed to be unaware about that the CSF had been ended quite some time ago.
He said the present government believed in transparent visa regime and had already abolished all mal-practices for unchecked issuance of visas to foreigners or their unaccounted stay and movements in the country.
The spokesperson said the present government in an effort to undo irregularities of past regarding issuance of visas and to keep an account of number of foreigners present in the country, took a number of steps which were on record.
Compilation of data of foreigners present in the country, regularization of visa regime, withdrawal of unlawful powers to embassies regarding issuance of visa and most recently effort to digitize visa system with introduction of online visa for Pakistan were some of the steps taken by the present government into the matter, he added.