State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar on Thursday informed the National Assembly in a written reply that Pakistan embassy and consulates in the US had issued 195,793 visas in the last five years.
She said the visas were issued under various heads including dual nationality, official and diplomats, family visit, tourism and business. Giving the breakup, the minister said the Pakistani embassy in Washington issued 68,088 visas, while the consulate general at Los Angeles, New York and Chicago issued 36,158, 71,079 and 20,468 visas respectively during the said period. Responding another question, Hina told the House that there were 71 Pakistani prisoners presently in Indian custody despite completion of their sentences.
She said Pakistani mission abroad issued 57,724 visas to foreigners of the third world countries between April 2008 and December 2010. Hina said a total of 14,842 visas were issued to the UK, 7,923 to Saudi Arabia, 6, 022 to Afghanistan, 4,283 to Kuwait, 3,507 to India, 3,045 to USA, 2,367 to Qatar, 2,265 to Switzerland,1,982 to Germany, 1,855 to Denmark, 1268 to Bahrain, 883 to Oman, 745 to Italy,730 to France, 725 to Belgium, 580 to UAE, 578 to Ireland,472 to Turkey, 467 to Iran, 347 to Spain, 336 to Egypt, 216 to South Africa, 205 to Sudan, 202 to Lebanon, 191 to Yemen, 173 to Syria, 143 to Jordan, 128 to Russia, 123 to Greece,109 to Zimbabwe, 101 to Canada, 95 to Mexico, 87 to Czech Republic, 72 in Romania, 66 to Tunis, 66 to Libya, 64 to Hungry, 60 to Portugal, 54 to Morocco,44 to Kenya, 38 to Ukraine, 34 to Senegal, 31 to Chile, 30 to Tanzania, 30 to Poland, 29 to Belgrade, 27 to Argentina, 26 to Brazil, 21 to Bosnia, 20 to Azerbaijan, 12 to Algeria and five to Bulgaria.
She said efforts were underway to sign extradition treaty with 35 countries, adding that the Foreign Office was the final and ultimate “call maker” to announce immunity to any diplomat. Minister for Railways Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour informed the House that Pakistan Railways land measuring 65 kanals and nine marlas near Old Dairy Farm Rawalpindi was under the occupation of Pakistan Army Housing Directorate, Rawalpindi.
In a written reply to a question asked by PML-N’s Khalida Mansoor, the minister said there was no proposal under consideration to allot the said land to the civilian residents of that area by Pakistan Railways. He said there was also no proposal to get the said land vacated, rather a proposal for mutual adjustment or swapping was under consideration.
Bilour said the last meeting in this connection was held at the Office of Deputy Director Property and Land, Pakistan Railways Rawalpindi with Col. Amir Raja on December 11, 2010, who participated as the representative of Directorate General Housing Headquarters (Housing Directorate) Rawalpindi. The minister said the issue was discussed in detail and produced a letter dated May 13, 2008 addressed to Director Property and Land Pakistan Railways, Headquarter Office Lahore, wherein it was mentioned that army’s land measuring 26.38 acres was provided to Pakistan Railways for establishment of Dry Port at Lahore in September 1972 and March 1982, respectively. The issue has been taken up with Pakistan Army for mutual settlement by Pakistan Railways, Headquarter Office Lahore, and a joint high-level meeting was expected in near future in this respect, he said.Bilour told the House that Pakistan Railways had not received Rs 11.6 billion grant approved by the federal cabinet even after the passage of four months.
He said Pakistan Railways was in dire need of funds to purchase new locomotives and repair of old-ones besides improving its infrastructure. The minister for Food and Agriculture told the House that the total acreage of the barren land in the country was reported at 8.20 million hectares. “The ministry launched a project for procurement of 300 bulldozers (200 for Balochistan and 100 for KPK) to bring 219,375 hectares of cultivable waste land under cultivation. But due to financial constraint, the project could not be materialised,” he added
