Cabinet meets under PM Imran, approves visa policy relaxation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan chaired a meeting of the federal cabinet which discussed a 20-point agenda today (Thursday).

According to Geo News, the cabinet has approved the decision to relax visa policy after it was briefed by Interior Secretary on the issue.

The TV channel reported that cabinet has expressed satisfaction over relaxation of  visa rules.

The cabinet decided that citizens of as many as 50 countries would be given the facility of on-arrival visa initially and citizens of many  others  countries would be able to apply for Pakistan's visa online.

It was briefed that Pakistan would relax visa policy for over 190 countries.

On Prime Minister's instructions, Malaysia has also been included in the list of countries that  will benefit from new visa policy.

Apart from visa, Hajj policy 2019 and anti-drug policy was also on the agenda of meeting. 

The Federal Cabinet also pproved the Hajj policy 2019 with an aim to provide maximum and exemplary facilities to the Pakistani pilgrims.

Briefing the media, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said under the new policy direct Hajj flights will be launched from Quetta for the first time.

The intending pilgrims will be provided biometric system facility at local level to expedite the processing of Hajj applications.

The Minister said about 1, 84, 000 Pakistani pilgrims will have the opportunity to perform Hajj this year.

The Minister said a quota of 10,000 pilgrims has been reserved for elderly citizens while another portion of 500 Hujjaj has been fixed for low income people, Radio Pakistan reported.