Writing letters to foreign missions for visas becomes lucrative business

ISLAMABAD: Some private sector tycoons have been allegedly found involved in writing letters to foreign diplomatic missions for provision of visas to unauthorised persons by declaring them businessmen apparently for minting money.

This practice is bringing disgrace and disrespect for the country as a whole and might cause problems to genuine businessmen and traders.

Documentary proof, in possession of The News, discloses that corruption is not confined to government departments and the public sector but rather it has now sneaked into the ranks of private sector. While the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or Federal Investigation Agency mainly focus on politicians and bureaucrats, this cancer had now spread into the private sector as well.

A latest example in this regard shows that the chambers of commerce and industry are allowed to facilitate business delegations to foreign countries by issuing letters of confirmation that the visitors are bona fide industrialists and traders but some unscrupulous elements have now turned this facility into a money-making activity.

The News is in possession of some letters sent to diplomatic missions for provision of recommendation letters for those who were not members of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

The recommendation letters were allegedly signed by an office-bearer of the LCCI. It is learnt that the letter-pad of the LCCI was allegedly used for issuance of letters to unauthorised persons with signature of one officer-bearer.

It was alleged that hefty bribes were being received for this purpose. When this matter was brought into the notice of the Executive Committee of LCCI, an inquiry committee was constituted to probe this matter. Now efforts are underway to brush this issue under the carpet.

A letter was written to the Chinese Embassy titled ‘Guarantee Letter for Business Visa in which the secretary general on behalf of the LCCI states, “This is to certify that M/S Mughal Enterprises Engineering is a constituent member of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The company is planning to send Waseem Siddique passport number AS5462513 valid up to Nov 25, 2025 date and place of issue 26 Nov 2015 Lahore on business tour to China for a period of approximately six months.”

Through another letter, the LCCI had recommended issuance of visa in the name of Haider Ben Waseem by declaring that he was a chamber member. In the signed letter the LCCI took all responsibility if the Chinese grant visa to the said person. Another letter was also issued for someone else.

When the issue was taken up at the forum of the Executive Committee of the LCCI, an inquiry committee was constituted led by Nasir Hameed. The committee scrutinised the LCCI database but found no record.

This correspondent contacted Nasir Hameed twice in recent weeks and was told that the inquiry committee was undertaking the assigned task. He expressed the hope that the report would be submitted next week. However, he refused to disclose the report findings.