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Associated Press of Pakistan

The new Islamabad international airport will be operational by Aug 14 next year as 82 per cent of the work on the project has been completed.

“I will inaugurate the new airport on Aug 14, 2017,” said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while chairing a meeting on aviation affairs.

He was briefed on the status and progress of work on airports in different parts of the country, including Bannu and Mansehra.

The prime minister was informed that efforts were being made to complete the airport project within the allocated financial resources.

The project was divided into three main packages — airside, passenger terminal and landside.Read More »New Islamabad Airport to open from 14th August 2016

By Muhammed Javed –  29 August 2016

Mathew Craig Barrett, the US National, black listed by the Government of Pakistan, obtained a four-year multiple-entry Pakistani Visa “within 24 hours” from the Pakistan Consulate in Houston.  Earlier, a few years back he remained in hiding in Islamabad.  A father and his son, both FIA Immigration officials “both at the same time on duty” at the airport cleared him despite their computer cautioned them handling that passenger. Etc.  Earlier a few years back the US authorities had tipped Pakistan that its Mission in USA had issued Visas to some “doubtful” people, inquiry started which as usual “silently died”.

2. Bahraini nationals including Pakistani origins, are given visa in 4-5 days, which till in the recent past used to be issued invariably next day and sometime even the same afternoon.  In 2008 friendship between Bahrain and Turkey witnessed growth.  The Turkish authorities in token of practical action despite the fact there was no written agreement to that effect yet, eased visa facility for Bahrainis viz visa on arrival.   Friendship between Bahrain and Pakistan was inked few years back with about 30 MOUs but practical side?

3. A month back I approached our Embassy at about 01.45 pm with filled in Visa Application Forms in respect of a Pakistani Origin and his two children.  His mother had died one and a half hour ago.  Knowing well the atmosphere generally, I entered with pre-arranged, as tradition is generally a tool in the society we live in, a “high influential سفارش”.  The counterman without even having the routine remotest courtesy of reciting انا لله وانا اليه راجعون  and without any sign of remotest natural remorse or any care what was the age of the person standing in front of the counter retorted “embassy is closed  تم کل آنا .   Since I had earlier experience of getting Pakistani Visas just on the basis of Application Forms and photographs, this time too I had with me just Forms and Photographs.  But this time, on a death related case I was asked to attach copies of CPRs, birth certificates of two children.  And hold your breath my dear Pakistanis, the copy of marriage Certificate?? You don’t believe me!!   This senior citizen in his this old age can’ holding Holy Quran in his hand, can take solemn oath that it was demanded and I deposited this marriage certificate.   Leave apart that it was a death related case which needed a little lacking humanity,  yet it is a wonder what marriage certificate had to do with all this since wife of my colleague was not applying at all for Visa.  I was asked by the concerned staffer when this death was “expected” for the last two weeks, why did not you kept “ready” all these photocopies.  As the dead was not just mother of my colleague but also the wife of my 33 years old close friend and I myself was still trying to overcome the grief to accomplish the work related to repatriation to Pakistan the dead body, prudence demanding, I could not counter question the said staffer that had his/her mother been since two weeks in coma, death looming over her, had this staffer taken measurement of the coffin box,  made pre-hand visa application copies ready foreseeing the death of his/her mother?

Read More »DEAD! PROVE YOU WERE EVER BORN?

ALI SUKHANVER

After Narendra Modi’s speech on August 15 this year, the severe reaction of brave people of Balochistan was neither unexpected nor strange. They were already in a state of rage and fury against the activities of R&AW in Balochistan and they no doubt hold Modi responsible for all such activities; Modi’s speech simply added fuel to fire. Unfortunately some Indian supported elements, very much active in Afghanistan, tried to exploit the situation in their favour. In response to public response in Balochistan against Modi’s speech a group of Afghan demonstrator not only burnt Pakistan’s flag but also attacked the friendship gate at Chaman. After this incident the border security forces of Pakistan closed the Pak-Afghan border to avert any untoward incident. The situation resulted in suspending the movement of trade shipments between two countries along with supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan. According to different media reports there are long queues of vehicles on both sides of the border; with people on both sides facing problems as a result of the border closure but more in trouble are the people of Afghanistan. This situation could have been avoided if the Honourable president of Afghanistan Mr. Ashraf Ghani had played his role positively and sensibly.Read More »BASELESS HOSTILITY AGAINST PAKISTAN