SPECIAL IMMIGRATION COUNTER FOR CHINESE NATIONALS ESTABLISHED AT ISLAMABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

SPECIAL IMMIGRATION COUNTER FOR CHINESE NATIONALS ESTABLISHED  AT ISLAMABAD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

 By;ASGHAR ALI MUBARAK

 Islamabad; A special immigration counter for Chinese nationals has been set up at Islamabad International Airport. This special counter will enable the fastest immigration of Chinese travelers, and will also benefit C-Pack visa holders. According to details, federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed inaugurated a special immigration counter for Chinese nationals at Islamabad International Airport on Friday. It may be recalled that the establishment of this special counter has been carried out on the special directive of federal Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid. The DG FIA was also present at the inauguration of the special counter at Islamabad Airport. It is mentioned here that a few days ago, a bus of Dasu Power Project exploded on Karakoram Highway in Pakistan at 7 am, in which 9 Chinese nationals, 2 FC officials and 2 Pakistani nationals were killed. The Chinese officials also came to Pakistan to investigate the Dasu bus blast. Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed sorrow over the deaths of Chinese nationals in the Dasu incident and clarified that the safety of Chinese nationals in Pakistan is the government’s top priority. In this regard, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has arrived in China on a two-day visit today, accompanied by DG ISI Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed. Earlier the Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed announced a new visa policy for Chinese nationals working in the CPEC projects, adding that they will be granted a work visa for a minimum time period of two years. The minister announced this during his meeting with Chinese Ambassador H.E.Mr. Nong Rong on other day. The two discussed areas of mutual interest to Pakistan and China, the CPEC projects, bilateral relations between the two countries and visa facilitation for Chinese citizens. The minister expressed happiness over the completion of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. On the occasion, Rasheed said the government has approved the new visa policy for Chinese citizens. The minister explained that Chinese citizens would now be issued two-year work visas within 48 hours from the respective missions, adding that a separate visa category has been created for Chinese citizens related to CPEC projects. He said that that special desks are set up to facilitate Chinese citizens at airports. H.E.Mr. Nong Rong thanked the Pakistani government for taking steps to ease visa facilities for Chinese workers, adding that it would enable bilateral relations between the two countries to strengthen further and create more job opportunities and investment in Pakistan.The Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed thanked the Chinese government for providing coronavirus vaccines to Pakistan as Rong appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to control the pandemic.