From Our Correspondent
PESHAWAR, July 20: Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PAJCCI) has expressed its deep concern over sluggish processing in issuance of visa by Pakistan to Afghan businessmen.
In a press statement issued here on Sunday, Director PAJCCI Afghan Chapter, Ahmad Shah who is also an Afghan businessman said that he had applied for Pakistan visa in February 16, 2025, but still the application is under process.
“Although I have arranged all the necessary required documents and updated them on websites of concerned departments, but there is zero progress on my application still after passage of almost five months,” Ahmad Shah complains.
PAJCCI office bearers also mentioned reports about payment in dollars for early issuance of visa to Afghan businessmen and ordinary citizens.
He alleges that visa of Pakistan for Afghans is a big source of income for some corrupt officials and in this regard also mentioned some media reports.
If the visa applicant approach some travel agents in Kabul and must decide rate with them, he will get the visa within 24 to 48 hours after submission of the application, claims Afghan businessman.
While those applicants who don’t pay to the agents, then their visa will not be issued for several months, he continued.
Director PAJCCI Afghan Chapter, Ahmad Shah requested government to take notice of this issue and seek details over delay in issuance of his own visa which he applied around five months earlier and still is waiting to visit Pakistan for business related issues.
He said Afghan nationals and businessmen are already under deep stress and pressure due to serious economic losses due to possible deportation in the wake of Pakistan’s policy about Afghan refugees.
He said thousands of Afghan nationals and businessmen wanted to visit Pakistan for settlement of their valuable assets to avoid selling of the same at throwaway prices in wake of ending of the deadline set by the government for Afghans.
Supporting the concerns of Ahmad Shah, Senior Vice President (SVP) PAJCCI Pakistan Chapter, Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi made a request for solving these issues that are creating hurdles and sever hardships for Afghan business community.
He said Afghans have set up businesses in Pakistan with investment in billions of rupees and need time and frequent visits to settle them before implementation of Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan.
He also suggested for setting aside business from politics with the objective of tapping the vast economic potential of trade in the region through which the collective problem of poverty can be overcome by creating hundreds of thousands of commercial and livelihood opportunities on both sides of the border.
