War Refugees Unwelcome In ‘Naya Pakistan’? Imran Khan-Led Government Abolishes Visa On Arrival For Afghans

The recently elected Imran Khan-led government in Pakistan on Thursday (3 January) abolished the long-standing policy of visa-on-arrival (VoA) to Afghan nationals. The reason attributed to the move is the rise in terror attacks and related security risks, The Tribune has reported.

According to the report, Afghan nationals were earlier given a visa for 30 days on-arrival at the entry points. With the change in policy, they will now be required to apply for a visa from Pakistani missions in Afghanistan, said Ismatullah Junejo, Director of Immigration for Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The Pakistani government also restricted the movement of Afghan nationals in the country and stopped issuance of visas at airports and border crossings.

After securing the visa and arriving in Pakistan, Afghan nationals will have to fill out details about their place and period of stay among others so that the security agencies in Pakistan can verify the information. After verification is done, they will be given residence and travel permits.

As per the report, there are thousands of Afghans who enter Pakistan daily for business, medical, educational or other purposes. Pakistan, according to the United Nations, is host to the largest refugee population in the world. Most of the refugees are Afghans who have fled their country due to war and violence.

This move by the government has also raised doubts over Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s plans to grant citizenship to around 1.5 million Afghan refugees who have been living in Pakistan for decades.