Pak to review visa policy for US officials and diplomats following Davis fiasco
By ANIWednesday, February 23, 2011
LAHORE - The Pakistan government has reportedly decided to review its visa policy for US officials and diplomats, and withdraw special powers granted to the country’s Ambassador in Washington, Hussain Haqqani, following the sticky Raymond Davis episode.
According to the Nation, the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Interior Ministry have strictly been directed by the Prime Minister’s Secretariat to immediately update the data about the presence of US personnel in Pakistan.
“Neither the government nor the public can afford the repeat of such episode,” a top Foreign Ministry official said.
“Now the era of special protocol for US spying network in Pakistan is over,” another official added.
Sources further disclosed that approximately 3000 visas had been issued between July 14 to December 31, 2010, to US officials and diplomats by the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.
“It can be well-imagined that how much damage must had been done to our national interest after the Prime Minister empowered Haqqani to issue visas to US officials and diplomats arbitrarily and without administrative approval from Pakistan,” an Interior Ministry official said. (ANI)
