No GCC state restricts visa issuance to Pakistanis, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs told the National Assembly on Wednesday that none of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries had instructed restrictions on issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals.

In a written reply to a question of Sahibzada Sibghatullah, the ministry said no such instructions had been conveyed by any GCC country.

The written reply said some countries had voiced reservations about the increasing involvement of Pakistanis in beggary, forgery, drug-trafficking and involvement in political activities, including the social media campaigns criticizing the policies of the host countries.

The ministry said the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development (MOP&HRD) and Ministry of Interior were working in collaboration to address these concerns. Details may be sought from respective ministries. It stated that Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development (MOP&HRD) had taken the lead in convening inter-ministerial meetings to address the concerns.