Believe it that getting Pakistani visa for the Afghan nationals both in or outside Afghanistan becoming too much hard and expensive whereas continuous silence on the part of Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilalwal Bhutto Zardari and Emirate Islamic Afghanistan leadership generating stock of questions.
It seems that under well planned strategies, now the US lead allies, especially spy agencies of Pakistan are bent upon economic assassination of already war devastated Afghans. These US lead allies are also making attempts to force the Afghans to abandon their motherland as this mountainous region connecting South with Central Asia still maintains its strategic and economic importance, which would play a key role in next phases of global wars for power, perks and resources.
At the moment, issuance of visas to the Afghan nationals even those who are in possession of US, UK, EU and other foreign countries passports is considered most lucrative source of income not only for Pakistan’s diplomatic squads throughout the world but also for some of spy agencies and NADRA, personnel dealing heals and deals regarding war devastated Afghanistan.
$1200 for one month of visa
Couple of days back, a family belongs to eastern Afghanistan reached in Peshawar from Afghanistan. Five members of the family had got “On Line” visa at cost of eight US dollars each but the score was settled with three others by issuance Pakistan single entrance visa for one month after getting 3600 US dollars (each 1200 US dollars.)
This issue is not confined to a single family or an individual but it is a common feature for most Afghans who want to visit either for a single day or trip or for a prolonged stay. On Wednesday evening, a female with four children was forced to pay 40,000 Afghanis just for entering Pakistan at Torkham. Ironically, all those Afghans who want to go back to their motherland from Pakistan are not only bound to surrender Proof Of Registration (POR cards issued to them by NADRA and UNHCR couple of years back) but they are being forced to pay bribe from 5,000 to “RS” 10,000 Pakistan rupees at all crossing points especially at Torkham.
Though Pakistan made the policies for issuance of visa to Afghan nationals soon after starting fencing of Pak Afghan border, also called Durand Line somewhere in end of 2015 last with financial support of US but soon after empowering of Taliban on August 15th 2021 it was further tightened.
Afghans must go through a stamp paper costs 1,000, to 1,500 rupees
All those Afghans who intend to visit Pakistan either from Afghanistan or from the rest of the world are bound to attach an invitation from a Pakistani national through a Stamp Paper. Each member of the family is bound to attach separate Stamp Paper with visa application. Filling and stamping this stamp paper costing from RS 1000 to RS 1500. But it doesn’t mean approval as the approval authorities are certain mysterious high ups in Foreign Office, Intelligence agencies, responsible for Afghanistan and NADRA offices. However, the procedure becomes a major source for minting money or getting bribes for the personnel of all these departments and institutions. Ironically, the government of Pakistan is not giving any attention to the matter, ensuring it puts into jail those Afghans whose visas expired and did not renew inside the country despite trying several times. Many Afghans were also jailed on charges of not having proper documents. Some of the detainees were freed but still there are dozens more.
Any expectation of repercussion
Unfortunately, in reaction some of the diplomatic personnel of Afghanistan in its missions are also demanding bribes from Pakistani nationals, even students frequently visiting Afghanistan. Apparently, Taliban are portraying themselves “unhappy” from Pakistan but internally all of Emirate Islamic leaders including acting Prime Minister and Foreign Ministers are playing a silent role over maltreatment of the countrymen for visas and visits to Pakistan. The Afghans not only from inside Afghanistan but also scattered throughout the world, through social media are not only denouncing step mother attitude on the part of Pakistan but even they making appeals to higher authorities like Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Chief Of Army Staff Gen. Asim Muneer to take its early notices as Afghans are considering Pakistan as their second motherland. Likewise, these policies and restrictions are also affecting relations between thousands of families and the two neighboring countries.
In the light of heavy prices of visa’s and unprecedented bribe demands of personnel at Torkham, Foreign and NADRA offices at Islamabad, visits or traveling from Afghanistan to Pakistan has been on decline for the last several months. Declining traveling and visits also pose bad impacts on bilateral trade between the two neighboring countries while both need to improve economic ties to improve their fragile situation. Without doubt, Kabul and Islamabad have been facing huge economic challenges and they need to initiate major economic projects to bolster their economy as well as to improve people-to-people connection and create a friendly environment.
Now it is the time for both Islamabad and Kabul to sit across a table, for settling all such issues and hardships.
