Afghan citizens with proper documents to get Pakistan visa: Sheikh Rasheed

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Friday said that Pakistan would grant a 21-day transit visa to diplomats and others being evacuated from Afghanistan in order to facilitate the withdrawal process, ARY NEWS reported.

Speaking at a presser, the interior minister said that residents of any country would be given a 21-day on arrival visa of Pakistan.

“We are ready to give 21-day visa to diplomats of United States, Germany, Britain and others,” he said adding that citizen of any country could also avail from the facility after being evacuated from Afghanistan.

He further assured that Afghan citizens having proper documentation would also be able to get a Pakistan visa.

Sheikh Rasheed further announced that a government would be formed in Afghanistan after August 31 and said that they have been assured that the Afghan soil would not be used against Pakistan.

“We have sealed 2686 kilometer long Afghan border to refrain crossing from the other side,” he said and added that Chaman and Torkham border crossings are currently being operated for public and goods transit and remained fully operational.

It is pertinent to mention here that a large number of Afghan citizens have been filmed outside the Kabul airport to get an opportunity to leave the country after the Taliban takeover.

A report Thursday stated that Pakistan has helped 1,335 foreigners of various countries to evacuate from Afghanistan soon after the Taliban took over Kabul’s presidential palace on August 15.

In the flight operations spanning from August 15 to 24, Pakistani foreign ministry mission in Kabul has run 24 evacuation flights wherein among Pakistani nationals, were a total of 1,335 foreigners of various countries.

Among the foreign evacuees, 15 belonged to Belgium, 43 to Denmark, 14 to Canada, 40 to Holland. Separately Turkey’s 42 people, two Britishers, and 11 US nationals were also amonsgt the evacuees.

The foreign ministry numbers confirm three United Nations employees were also airlifted from Kabul to be flown into Islamabad.