The acting head of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the government to press its Saudi counterpart for the urgent withdrawal of a biometric system being enforced for Pakistani Umrah-goers, citing ‘difficulties’ that will created for the intending pilgrims.
Shakeel Munir said this while talking to a delegation of Travel Agents Association of Pakistan (TAAP) during its visit to the chambers headquarters.
Munir said the same condition was reportedly imposed by the Saudi Arabian government on citizens of India, Bangladesh and Iran, but the governments of these countries refused to accept the conditions after which it was withdrawn.
The TAAP delegation said the Saudis have awarded a contract to process Umrah visas in Pakistan through a biometric system. They are afraid that a single company would not be able to handle over 800,000 annual visa applications for Umrah.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 22nd, 2014.
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