All Pakistani missions in the EU reportedly received a letter from the MoFA asking them to halt issuing visas to Afghan nationals as of February 8.
It went to embassies/consulates in London, Glasgow, Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Milan, Berlin, Frankfurt, Athens, Lisbon, Berne, Vienna, Copenhagen, Oslo, Brussels, and The Hague.
When the prohibition will be lifted is still unknown. 1,600 Afghans received visas, and a probe into those visas has started. Since the embargo prevents their relatives in the EU from visiting them, some Afghan families in Pakistan have raised alarm over the move.
The MoFA has made it clear that the choice is not biassed and that it will be resolved quickly. According to a representative of the Foreign Office, applying for visas legally is required, and providing false documentation is unacceptable.
