ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for Commerce Engineer Khurrram Dastagir Tuesday informed the Senate that Pakistan Embassies in various countries have issued 1,117,274 visas issued during the last five years.
Replying to a question during Question Hour, the minister on behalf of minister for Foreign Affairs said that out of total, some 193,144 visas were issued for India, 392,122 for Afghanistan, 15,609 for Bangladesh, 4918 for Russia, 312,735 for United Kingdom and 198,746 for United States.
He said that these visas were issued during the period from 2011-2015 and added that there were no specific quota or limit for issuing visas to any country.
However, the minister said the concerned officials look into reciprocal response with regard to issuing visas to Pakistan for a specific period of time.
To another question, he said Pakistan and India have discussed major disputes under the composite dialogue process including Jammu and Kashmir, Siachen, Sir Creek and Wullar Barrage.
Additionally, any violation of Indus Water Treaty is also raised with India, he added.
He said the major disputes between Pakistan and India are long outstanding despite and a number of attempts were made to resolve these through the dialogue process, which have not produced results, so far.
The Prime Minister’s vision of a friendly neighbourhood has been the driving force for normalization of relations with India, by resolution of all the outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir dispute, he said.
The minister said recently, after the meeting between the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and the Indian External Affairs Minister on December 9, 2015 in Islamabad on the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference, it was agreed to start the Comprehensive Bilateral Dialogue which would address all the outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir.
Source: APP
