Pakistan says it will process visa applications online for citizens of 191 countries starting on January 1 as part of efforts to prevent corruption and boost tourism in the country.
“The Interior Ministry will process visas for all countries, including Afghanistan and China, online. There were complaints of bribing in the visa and [visa] extension process for Afghanistan and China. So, the manual visa [system] will end on January 01, 2021,” Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed told a press conference in Islamabad on December 30.
Foreigners will be able to apply for visas using the website of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) of the Interior Ministry.
Earlier this month, the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul announced new measures to make it easier for Afghans to apply for and collect visas.
The move came two months after at least 15 people were killed in a stampede inside a soccer stadium in the eastern Afghan city of Jalalabad where thousands had gathered to secure visas from the Pakistani Consulate.
Image :globalvillagespace