New guidelines for increasing trend of political asylum of state officials abroad

Islamabad: The increasing tendency of Parliament employees and officers to take political asylum abroad has revealed the misuse of the Foreign Office's note verbale and visa note.

The Foreign Office has changed the visa note guidelines for the Senate Secretariat and the National Assembly Secretariat. The family of the Joint Secretary of the Senate Secretariat taking refuge in a European country has led to a change in the Foreign Office Visa Note Guidelines.

After the approval of Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, the new Visa Note Guidelines were immediately implemented. Foreign Secretary Cyrus Sajjad Qazi wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Senate and the Secretary of the National Assembly, informing them of the decision of the Foreign Office.

In the text of the letter, it was written that the facility of issuing note verbale for private visits to diplomatic and official passport holders has been abolished. The issuance of letter of introduction for visas to the families of officers of the National Assembly and Senate Secretariat has been banned.

The issuance of a letter of introduction to the family members with private passports accompanying the members of parliament on official and private visits is subject to an affidavit, while the National Assembly and the Senate Secretariat will have to submit an affidavit that those who have received a visa on their letter will not seek refuge in this country.

The National Assembly and Senate Secretariat must submit an affidavit that the letter is issued to the country receiving the visa. I will not go and seek refuge; an undertaking must be given that the introduction letter issued by the Foreign Office will not be misused. An undertaking has to be given that the letter of introduction issued by the Foreign Office will not be misused.

The letter further stated that diplomatic and official passport holders will be issued a note of introduction for their private visits after receiving a formal request from the Senate or the National Assembly Secretariat, as per the policy for writing notes verbale, notes of introduction, and letters of introduction. Guidelines will be strictly followed.