Pakistan on Wednesday offered a special package of transit visa to Afghan diplomats and high officials upon their arrival at Islamabad, as the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul continued to extend consular services for Pakistanis, Afghans and nationals of other countries and help them leave the country.
In the wake of deteriorating situation in Kabul, after the fall of the city to the Taliban on Sunday, the government had decided to open all Pakistani airports round-the-clock for foreign diplomats, journalists, and officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank etc, coming from Kabul.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told a press conference that special package of transit visa had been offered to the diplomats and officials on the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan. He added that the relevant staff would be available on the Pakistani airports to facilitate the arrivals.
The minister revealed that currently there were no Afghan immigrants present at the Torkham or Chaman border crossings. “The situation on these two borders reportedly remained peaceful. The route is clear for trade and transit,” he said. “Everything was under control on borders.”
The move comes as most of the western countries are frantically evacuating staff from Afghanistan and have shut down their missions. However, the Pakistan Embassy in Kabul continues to extend consular services for Pakistanis, Afghans and nationals of other countries and help them leave the country.
Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan Mansoor Ahmed Khan said in a message that visas and consular services were operational, and full cooperation was being extended to all international missions, diplomats, organisations and media by assisting them in temporary relocation and repatriation.
