Shocked on arrival: Nisar directs immigration staff to treat travellers more affably

FIA directed to set up special cell to look into all problems faced by overseas Pakistanis during visit.


Web Desk February 22, 2014
Member of House of Lords Nazir Ahmed (L) in a meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan (R). PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: While Pakistanis are often found complaining about the treatment they are meted out at immigration counters in a foreign country, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was asked on Saturday to look into the attitude of immigration staff towards the few foreigners arriving in Pakistan.

In a meeting with the House of Lords member Lord Nazir Ahmed in Islamabad on Saturday, the interior minister was requested to facilitate overseas Pakistanis and the problems they face while waiting to receive their stamp of entry into Pakistan.

Issuing directives to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to set up a special cell to look into all problems faced by overseas Pakistanis when they visit or stay in Pakistan, Nisar directed immigration authorities to adopt a more traveller-friendly attitude towards all visitors and do everything possible to make their entry and exit as trouble-free as possible.

Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the government, particularly the ministry of interior, is committed to cut the red tape and come down hard on all kinds of corruption, and that all departments facilitate the public, especially the overseas Pakistanis who are on a short visit to their homeland.

The meeting also discussed Pak-UK relations and the need to maintain close liaison between the two governments and their parliaments.

In 2012, Pakistan received the largest number of visitors from the UK, as many as 305,403

COMMENTS (19)

SAL | 10 years ago | Reply

How come those 17 ladies got through without immigration @ ISD airport, did the Govt fired all the Immigration officers on duty on that date? I don't know how many terrorist, enemy agents and else pass through without registration @ port of arrival. Or, is it money that talks.

Few years back I landed @ KHI. There were separate lines for Foreign passport holders and for Pakistani passport holders. Being foreign passport holder our line was moving faster. Seeing this all the Pakistani passport holder jumped in our line, The cop and the immigration officer entertained them and didn't said a word. And, I was in no mood to fight with those uneducated people after 16 hours of flight.

Anonymous | 10 years ago | Reply

Everytime, we land in Pakistan, we see discrimination and hatred on our own soil. People act like saints on foreign airports, and as soon as they land on Pakistani Airports, they become uncivilized. This nation needs to be dealt with IRON FIST!!! Yeh dandey ke qoum hay bhai dandey ke!!!

I hope, Government privatizes all the Airports. This will be a huge relief. Only the corrupt people are afraid of privatization because their black business will abolish.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ