ISLAMABAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan decided on Wednesday to review conditions and requirements for issuance of business and work visas to Chinese nationals in efforts to ensure maximum security of the Chinese nationals visiting Pakistan on various visa categories.
The Interior Ministry said the country will also streamline and regulate the entire process of visa issuance to Chinese nationals.
"The decision has been taken to ensure transparency in the visa process and also to preclude misuse of visa-friendly regime that exists between the two countries," an official statement from the ministry said after a high level meeting.
The meeting also decided to rationalize the process of issuance of work visas to Chinese nationals who intend to visit Pakistan for various government approved and sponsored projects, the statement said.
It was decided that Pakistani embassies and missions abroad would be authorized to issue maximum of one-year multiple entry work visa for any project after ascertaining the authenticity of the project and receiving security clearance from the Chinese authorities.
"The meeting decided that further extensions in work visa would be granted by the Ministry of Interior only on the request and provision of required documents by the employer," the statement said.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan directed the ministry that all loopholes in the issuance of visas especially to the Chinese should be plugged in so as to ensure maximum transparency in the entire process.
The minister also directed the registration authority to expedite consolidation of data of Chinese nationals present in Pakistan so that the data could be shared with security agencies of the country for ensuring maximum security arrangements.
He said that a comprehensive mechanism should be put in place for sharing of information of not only CPEC related workers but also of other Chinese nationals visiting the country for various jobs.
Taking note of few incidents of provision of forged and fake documents of ghost companies to the embassies for issuance of Pakistani visa, it was decided that in the future business visas and visa on arrival to the Chinese nationals would only be granted after production of invitation or assignment letter duly certified and endorsed by the recognized Chamber of Commerce & Industry of the country along with letter from commercial attaches and other designated officials of Pakistan who are posted abroad for the promotion of business activities.
