Islamabad (Web Desk): Pakistan on Thursday said it has opened channels with US officials and is keeping a close watch on developments after reports suggested Washington is preparing to pause visa processing for people from a number of countries, including Pakistan.
At the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said the United States is currently reassessing its visa system and Pakistan is hopeful the restrictions on its citizens will be lifted soon.
Under a decision announced by the Trump administration, visa processing is set to be halted for applicants from 75 countries, among them Pakistan. Media reports, first published by Fox News, said the suspension will cover immigrant visas, including those for employment and family reunification.
Non-immigrant categories, such as student and tourist visas, will not be affected, meaning travel for major events like this summer’s World Cup in the United States will continue. The measure is expected to come into force on January 21.
Turning to regional affairs, Andrabi said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar spoke on the phone with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss the evolving situation in the neighbouring country. He added that Pakistan is committed to ensuring its land and airspace are not used in any hostile action against Iran.
He also referred to a January 12 notice issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting urging social media users to avoid circulating sensational and unverified reports. Andrabi said propaganda outlets operating from Afghanistan and India had spread false claims that the United States was planning to use Pakistan as a base for an attack on Iran.
The spokesperson further said that Ishaq Dar also held separate telephone conversations with the foreign ministers of Uzbekistan, Myanmar and Iran, as well as Indonesia’s investment minister, to review bilateral ties, regional developments and prospects for trade and economic cooperation.
The briefing also covered efforts to repatriate Pakistani students stranded in Afghanistan and Iran. Andrabi said many of those in Iran have already reached Gwadar with the assistance of the Pakistani embassy, and by Wednesday 54 students had returned home, with more expected shortly.
On India, he said New Delhi continues to breach United Nations Security Council resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, while reiterating Pakistan’s policy of lawful trade with Iran and maintaining stable trade relations with the United States.
The Foreign Office also confirmed Pakistan’s involvement in the Gaza peace initiative through the Arab-Islamic group and restated its backing for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state under the Abraham Accords framework.
The briefing ended with mention of a recent phone call between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the Emir of Qatar, in which both leaders expressed satisfaction with the current level of cooperation between their two countries.