ISLAMABAD, (DNA) – The government on Tuesday took steps to make travel by foreigners visiting Pakistan easier and did away with the requirement of having a no-objection certificate (NOC) to visit certain areas of the country.

“Free movement of foreigners shall be allowed in open cantonments except prohibited and restricted areas with the visible signboards. The border crossings will be open and non-restricted,” said a notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.

Areas in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral have been declared non-restricted and non-prohibited.

However, free movement is restricted 10 miles from Pakistan’s border with China, the Wakhan Corridor along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and Siachen. Areas which are five miles from the Line of Control (LoC) are also off-limits.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said the decision was a step forward under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to encourage tourism. “Imran Khan’s vision is to make Pakistan heaven for tourists,” he said in a tweet. “Following [the] new visa regime, this important policy decision of ending NOC requirements is a leap forward.”

Earlier this month, PM Imran launched an online visa system for foreign tourists from 175 countries.

The online visa facility allows prospective visitors to apply and obtain visas without having to visit a Pakistani embassy or consulate. The tourists will simply log on to https://visa.nadra.gov.pk, fill out the application, upload required documents and pay visa fee. Once their application is reviewed, they will be informed via e-mail and text message.