Took six months to end visa-on-arrival policy, says former interior minister Nisar
January 25, 2018
ISLAMABAD: Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar said on Thursday that it took him six months to reverse the visa-on-arrival scheme.
Speaking in the National Assembly, Nisar said it took him six months as the interior minister to end the visa-on-arrival scheme — in place since former president Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf's tenure — after he assumed office in 2013.
"Several people benefit from such schemes," he said, adding that the bureaucracy had strongly resisted his move of ending the scheme.
The Federal Investigation Agency, on January 19, 2018, had confirmed that Pakistan had allowed visa-on-arrival facility to group tourists from 24 countries including the US and UK.
Talking about the International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) working in the country, he said they were backed by powerful forces, including the then-US Secretary of State John Kerry.
The issue of INGOs should be taken up in the assembly, he said, adding that most of the foreign aid goes to the organisations themselves.
Nisar also questioned whether the Parliament needs to debate curses hurled on the house or other matters of importance.
We should not deal with national issues through the prism of "opposition and government", he added.
On Wednesday (yesterday), Nisar had a verbal clash with the current interior minister, Ahsan Iqbal, in the National Assembly over the visa and INGO issues.
Defending his ministry's decision, Iqbal had said the country cannot be shut out to foreigners on the pretext of a 'security situation'.
He assured that visas would be issued after strict security checks, adding that "every Tom, Dick and Harry" will not be given a visa.
Iqbal also defended his ministry's decision to allow INGOs to operate in the country until a final decision on the cancellation of their registration is reached.
Following Iqbal's remarks, Nisar addressed the house and stated that as minister he had revoked the visa-on-arrival scheme as it had been grossly misused in the past.
He added that the scheme should be on a mutual basis.
Started the debate on the matter, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Shireen Mazari had criticised the policy, stating that organisations like Blackwater — a private military contractor company now known as Academi — had made way into the country under the pretext of INGOs.
