Kidnapping, Killing of Chinese by ISIS: Visa policy to be streamlined

ISLAMABAD – The federal government on Monday decided to review and strictly regulate its visa policy for Chinese after the recent abduction and killing of two Chinese nationals in Balochistan.

“The interior ministry has decided to review, regulate and streamline its visa policy for Chinese as the two Chinese nationals abducted from Quetta last month violated terms and conditions of their business visas and were involved in preaching activities instead,” a ministry spokesperson said.

The interior ministry made the decision at a meeting with Ch Nisar Ali Khan in the chair, the spokesperson said.

On June 8, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the killing of the two Chinese nationals, hours after the army said that it has killed some IS militants in an operation in Mastung of Balochistan.

The interior ministry said that the two foreigners had got business visas from the Pakistani embassy in Beijing but they went straight away to Quetta “instead for doing a business and were involved in activities of preaching”.

Expressing his deep concern over the unfortunate incident of abduction and killing, the minister observed in the meeting that there was a “need to review the process of issuance of visas to the Chinese nationals coming to Pakistan to work for various projects and simultaneously to maintain a databank of the Chinese nationals present in various parts of the country”.

“This databank, to be prepared by National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), should be shared with all security agencies, the minister maintained.

The meeting was called to review regulations for issuance of visas to the Chinese and the progress made so far on the registration of international non-governmental organisations under a new policy.

The interior minister further said that there was a need to regulate the process of grant of visa extensions so as to ensure that the facility was not misused.

Taking serious note of laxity often shown by the Pakistani missions abroad during grant of visas especially the business visas, the minister directed that all Pakistani missions were bound to undertake proper scrutiny of visa application forms and must get all necessary details before exercising their power of issuance of visas to the foreign nationals.

The meeting decided that the foreign office would be taken on board and their input would be included while formulating new visa policy guidelines for issuance of visas to the foreigners on various categories.

On the security of Chinese nationals present in the country, the meeting observed that ensuring the security of foreign nationals was a shared responsibility. Where the government makes every effort to provide security to foreigners, the visiting foreign nationals are equally bound to abide by the terms and conditions of their visas and inform local authorities about their movements and activities keeping in view the security requirements, if any, the meeting underlined.

Nisar observed that it was highly unfortunate that a misuse of the terms of business visa contributed to the unfortunate incident of abduction and subsequent murder of two innocent Chinese. He directed secretary interior to investigate the matter and ensure that such misuse did not occur in the future.

The meeting was informed that a group of Chinese citizens (which included the two slain) obtained business visas from Pakistani embassy in Beijing and entered Pakistan. However, instead of engaging in any business activity they went to Quetta and under the garb of learning Urdu language from a Korean national Juan Won Seo, Owner of ARK Info Tech, and actually engaged in preaching. The reports received by the interior ministry indicate that Mr Lee Zing Yang (24) and Ms Meng Li Si (26), were abducted from Jinnah Town Quetta on May 24.

The meeting also reviewed the progress in the registration of INGOs under the new policy framework devised by the Ministry of Interior. It was informed that so far 66 INGOs have been registered formally.

Nisar directed the ministry to expedite process of obtaining required information from the INGOs who had yet to furnish complete information so that decision could be taken about their registration.

The minister directed that the process of granting formal registration to INGOs should be completed by end of July.

Interior secretary, advocate general, passports director general, Nadra deputy chairman and other senior officials attended the meeting.

Source: The Nation