Pakistan Embassy in US refutes visa refusal reports

The Pakistani embassy in the United States clarified on Wednesday that news reports of Pakistanis being denied visas in America were incorrect, Aaj News reported. The embassy’s representative claimed that the visas are being given out on a regular basis. According to the spokesperson, Pakistani individuals living in America are eligible for both NICOPs (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) and visa-free travel to their native country. The announcement was made a few hours after Pakistani journalist Jalil Afridi brought up the subject during a press briefing at the State Department. Afridi asked Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel about claims that visas were being denied to Pakistani Americans and asked if the State Department was aware of any such claims. In response to the question, Patel said even if the reports were true, Pakistani consular officials would have to speak on the subject. This development coincides with the State Department’s statement on Tuesday that it is closely monitoring Imran Khan’s case. The question, asked by a reporter, was whether Congress had asked the State Department to conduct an investigation regarding the cypher since it is related to the case Imran Khan was incarcerated in. “We continue to consult with our congressional partners on several issues,” said Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the US Department of State. “I’m certainly not going to speak to something like that to specificity. Again, though, as you’ve heard us talk about, we continue to monitor this case and the situation closely.”