ISLAMABAD, JUNE 16 (DNA): The online visa facility, which was introduced in Pakistan on the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, has proven to be very successful.

Pakistan has issued e-visas to 7,000 people so far, according to NADRA. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that visa policy will prove to be useful for promoting tourism as well as economic diplomacy.

NADRA has said that it received 9,931 applications for visa, of which visas were issued to 7,160 people. It is still reviewing 2,446 applications, while 325 have been rejected because of technical reasons.

Qureshi said that the policy has started to bear fruits already. People are looking to come to Pakistan for tourism, business, and education. “We hope the policy sets the foundation stone for a stable economy,” he remarked.

On January 31, former information minister Fawad Chaudhry said that tourists from 175 countries will be given e-visa facility.  “People from 98 countries can take advantage of the business visa facility,” he said after a cabinet meeting. “The government has opened Pakistan to boost tourism in the country.”

The minister said that journalist visa for Pakistan will be made easy, adding that visa on arrival facility has also been made available.

Chaudhry said that the people can apply for Pakistan’s visa online. Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed the authorities to reduce the visa fee, he added.

On January 26, Pakistan updated its visa policy and the government decided to grant visas on arrival to people from 50 countries.=DNA

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