ISLAMABAD, May 14 (APP):State Minister for Interior & Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry on Thursday said Pakistan’s passport ranking and international travel facilitation have improved in the current period, reflecting the government’s performance. Responding to a point of order in the National Assembly, he said the government fully acknowledges its responsibility to protect citizens living abroad and to address matters related to visas and passports. He said it had become “fashionable” …
Passport ranking improves; visa facilitation Expands: Talal
ISLAMABAD, May 14 (APP):State Minister for Interior & Narcotics Control Talal Chaudhry on Thursday said Pakistan’s passport ranking and international travel facilitation have improved in the current period, reflecting the government’s performance.
Responding to a point of order in the National Assembly, he said the government fully acknowledges its responsibility to protect citizens living abroad and to address matters related to visas and passports.
He said it had become “fashionable” to take the name of the Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to generate headlines, adding that discussions should instead focus on performance and institutional work.
He urged lawmakers to compare current and previous tenures in terms of results and assess performance over the past two to two-and-a-half years.
He added that several visa facilitation agreements had been concluded with different countries, including arrangements for diplomatic and official passport holders, while progress had also been made on visa-free entry arrangements.
Referring to the United Arab Emirates, he said official and diplomatic passport holders were now being granted entry under new arrangements, whereas this facility was not available earlier.
Rejecting attempts to build negative narratives against friendly countries, he said there was no basis for claims of discrimination on religious or sectarian grounds in visa or deportation matters.
He further said Pakistan’s relations with Gulf countries remained strong, noting that overseas Pakistanis continue to contribute significantly to the economy.
He said remittances from Saudi Arabia rank first, followed by the United Arab Emirates, where more than 1.7 million Pakistanis are living and contributing both to their host country and to Pakistan’s economy.
He cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about bilateral relations, saying such statements could harm future diplomatic ties.
He said the government will address every genuine complaint and ensure equal protection for all Pakistani citizens, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or background.
He stressed that the state treats all citizens equally and is committed to safeguarding them without discrimination.
Referring to terrorism, he said political leaders often deliver speeches on the issue, but the real need is to review performance and ground realities.
He added that the fight against terrorism is being carried out jointly by the federal and provincial governments.
He called for a detailed parliamentary debate on the implementation of the National Action Plan, saying all stakeholders had previously agreed on it.
He added that if shortcomings exist in implementation, they should be identified, urging lawmakers to dedicate a session to assess the plan’s execution and effectiveness in countering terrorism.
