Visa regime relaxed to promote Pak-Afghan trade.

ISLAMABAD -- The government on Tuesday decided to relax the visa policy for bilateral trade with neighbouring Afghanistan, and hoped the decision will help improve economies of the two countries.

The decision was taken in the federal cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to the Prime Minister Office, PM Sharif directed the authorities concerned to issue six-month multiple-entry visas to transporters from Afghanistan. He also approved all the proposals put forward by the Afghan Inter-Ministerial Coordination Cell. The cabinet directed the Pakistan embassies abroad to assess Afghan visa applications on the basis of current nationality and passport instead of the country of origin.

Moreover, the cabinet directed that a sub-category under the work visa category be introduced in the online visa system. It was also decided that initially, six-month multiple-entry visas would be issued, and the interior ministry would have the authority to extend the period to one year.

Documents required with the visa application would include the applicant's photograph, passport, registration as a transport company, and employment letter. The meeting exempted the condition of recommendation letters by the Securities and Exchange CommiAssion of Pakistan and the Board of Investment for visas of drivers, transporters, helpers, etc.

The federal cabinet noted that these decisions had been taken and amendments made to the visa policy to promote bilateral trade with Afghanistan.

In a post-cabinet meeting press conference, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said the visa policy for Afghans was reviewed by the Interior Ministry's Afghan Inter-Ministerial Cell during an apex committee meeting, which also included representatives of the Foreign Office, Nadra and the Board of Investment.

Flanked by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Kashmir Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Ms AurangAzeb said under the revised policy, Pakistan's missions abroad would process the...