Nisar orders streamlining of issuance of visas to Chinese nationals

ISLAMABAD, Jun 12 (APP): Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali
Khan on Monday directed Interior Ministry to review, regulate and
streamline the process of issuance of visas to Chinese nationals
after the unfortunate incident of abduction of two Chinese from
Quetta.
Expressing his deep concern over the unfortunate incident, the
minister observed that there is a need to review the process of
issuance of visas to the Chinese nationals coming to Pakistan for
various projects and simultaneously to maintain a databank of the
Chinese nationals present in various parts of the country.
This databank, to be prepared by NADRA, should be shared with
all security agencies, ordered the Minister.
This he said while chairing a high level meeting which reviewed
issuance of visas to the Chinese and the progress made so far on the
registration of INGOs under the new policy here at Interior
Ministry.
The meeting was attended among others by Secretary Interior,
Advocate General, DG IMPASS, Deputy Chairman NADRA and senior
officers.
The minister further observed that there is a need to regulate
the process of grant of visa extensions so as to ensure that the
facility is not misused.
Taking serious note of laxity often shown by the Pakistani
missions abroad during grant of visas especially the business visas,
the Minister directed that all Pakistani Missions are bound to
undertake proper scrutiny of visa application forms and must get all
necessary details before exercising their power of issuance of visas
to the foreign nationals.
He directed that MOFA should be taken onboard and their input
be included while formulating new visa policy guidelines for
issuance of visas to the foreigners on various visa categories.
On the security of Chinese nationals present inside the
country, the Minister observed that ensuring the security of foreign
nationals was a shared responsibility.
Where the government made every effort to provide security to
foreigners, the visiting foreign nationals were equally bound to
abide by the terms and conditions of their visas and inform local
authorities about their movements and activities keeping in view the
security requirements, if any.
The minister observed that it was highly unfortunate that a
misuse of the terms of business visa contributed to the unfortunate
incident of abduction and subsequent murder of two innocent Chinese.
He directed Secretary Interior to investigate the matter and
to ensure that such misuse does not occur in the future.
The minister was informed that a group of Chinese citizens
which included the two abductees obtained business visa from
Pakistani Embassy in Beijing and entered Pakistan.
However, instead of engaging in any business activity they
went to Quetta and under the garb of learning Urdu language from a
Korean national Juan Won Seo, Owner of ARK info tech, were
actually engaged in preaching.
The reports received by the Interior Ministry indicate that
Lee Zing Yang (24 years) and Ms. Meng Li Si (26 years), were
abducted from Jinnah Town Quetta on 24-05-2017.
The meeting also reviewed the progress in the registration of
INGOs under the new policy framework devised by the Ministry of
Interior.
It was informed that so far 66 INGOs have been formally
registered with Interior Ministry.
The minister directed Interior Ministry to expedite process of
obtaining required information from the INGOs who were yet to
furnish complete information so that decision could be taken about
their registration with the Interior Ministry.
The minister directed that the process of granting formal
registration to INGOs should be completed by end of July.