No change in visa policy for residents of occupied Kashmir: FO

Aisha Farooqui says Pakistan High Commission is already considering 'peculiar humanitarian situation' in IOK

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign office on Sunday refuted the media reports about the change in Pakistan's visa policy for residents of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK), which has been under a complete lockdown since August 5.

"Media reports, which appeared in a section of media, about changes in Pakistan's visa policy for residents of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, are completely baseless and incorrect," Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in a statement issued on Sunday.

She also clarified that the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi would continue to issue visas to the residents of IOK in accordance with the visa policy of the government and related bilateral agreements between Pakistan and India.



"There has been no change in the visa policy for residents of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir," the FO spokesperson maintained.

According to the statement, the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi is already taking into consideration the "peculiar humanitarian situation" in the occupied region while approving the visa applications for the resident of IOK.

"The High Commission is making all efforts to facilitate as much as possible, the genuine visa applicants, particularly those from IoJ&K," said Farooqui, adding that those who fulfill the visa requirements continue to be issued visas as quickly as possible.