NOC compulsory for foreigners to visit G-B
Nisar directs his ministry to remove hurdles being faced by foreigners travelling to Gilgit-Baltistan
PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed his ministry to remove hurdles being faced by foreigners travelling to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) without compromising security.
The ministry defended the matter of issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) to foreigners for travelling to G-B saying that it’s nothing new and is in place since 1994.
The interior minister has ordered the ministry to devise a strategy to make the process of issuance of NOC to the foreigners easy and quick, said the ministry’s spokesman in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the spokesman, expansion of tourism and the people whose livelihood is associated with it in G-B is the government’s priority. However, a few steps for the security of the tourists are necessary, he added.
According to some media reports, the interior ministry imposed a ban on visits of foreign tourists to GB without NOC, which can be obtained from the ministry in Islamabad.
A letter recently sent by the ministry to the G-B government stated that it has been reported that foreigners are frequently visiting G-B without obtaining an NOC or security clearance from the ministry, which is against the rules.
The letter asked the authorities concerned to take concrete measures to curb the practice.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has directed his ministry to remove hurdles being faced by foreigners travelling to Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) without compromising security.
The ministry defended the matter of issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) to foreigners for travelling to G-B saying that it’s nothing new and is in place since 1994.
The interior minister has ordered the ministry to devise a strategy to make the process of issuance of NOC to the foreigners easy and quick, said the ministry’s spokesman in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the spokesman, expansion of tourism and the people whose livelihood is associated with it in G-B is the government’s priority. However, a few steps for the security of the tourists are necessary, he added.
According to some media reports, the interior ministry imposed a ban on visits of foreign tourists to GB without NOC, which can be obtained from the ministry in Islamabad.
A letter recently sent by the ministry to the G-B government stated that it has been reported that foreigners are frequently visiting G-B without obtaining an NOC or security clearance from the ministry, which is against the rules.
The letter asked the authorities concerned to take concrete measures to curb the practice.