Online visa for 175 countries announced to promote tourism in Pakistan

Next PSL would be held in Pakistan, PM announces

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has given new visa policy for 190 countries to promote tourism and investments in the country and announced that the next PSL would be held in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister addressed the ceremony for online visa inauguration in Islamabad here on Thursday.

While addressing the ceremony, the prime minister said Pakistan does not face any security issues now and the country has to provide better conditions for investment and tourism.

Earlier, interior ministry sources informed that the ‘B list’ has been greatly reduced. Bangladesh has been removed from the ‘B list’, stated interior ministry sources.

The Prime Minister announce announced that locals would be provided fund to construct more rooms with their houses so that the tourists can stay with them.

Now the list only has India and Somalia, sources added.

He announced that now around 175 countries will get the facility of applying for an online visa. As per the new visa policy, e-visa facility will initially be provided to five countries namely Turkey, China, Malaysia, United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The citizens of these countries will be able to apply for Pakistani visa via email at a $8 fee.

The number of countries for business visa has been increased from 48 to 96.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry while speaking to journalists a day earlier said, “Later on the policy will be extended to 170 countries.”

“Ninety countries will be offered business visa, while 55 countries will be granted visa on arrival,” he added.

“Visa fee has been reduced significantly to attract more and more tourists to Pakistan,” he added. Passenger identification system for e-visa facility has been installed at Karachi and Lahore airports, while it will be also be installed at other airports across the country later, Chaudhry shared.

The information minister further said a visa policy for journalists is also being worked on to facilitate western journalists, which will have a reciprocal effect for Pakistani mediapersons.

“The government is writing to the Indian Embassy to grant visas to Pakistani journalists, who want to cover the upcoming general elections in India,” he stated.