LONDON: Britain called on Tuesday for calm between Indian and Pakistani communities in London after lawmakers voiced concerns that tensions over a deadly militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir region could spill into the diaspora.
Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have taken a raft of measures against each other since the April 22 attack in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam, which killed 26 people.
Delhi has blamed Islamabad for the violence. Pakistan has denied any role and called for a neutral probe.
Britain is home to one of the world’s biggest Indian and Pakistani communities.
“These issues have long been discussed with passion on British streets and we call on sides, all community leaders, all involved to call for calm at a time of tension in the region,” Foreign office minister Hamish Falconer told parliament.
When Falconer appeared in parliament to answer an urgent question on the situation, lawmakers raised concerns about media reports of ill-tempered protests outside India and Pakistan’s high commissions in London.
Britain updated its travel advice following the attack, advising against all travel to the region of Jammu and Kashmir, with certain exceptions.
The British government’s long-standing position is that India and Pakistan are responsible for finding a solution to the situation in Kashmir that takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people, Falconer told parliament.
Britain calls for calm in Indian and Pakistani communities after Kashmir attack
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Britain calls for calm in Indian and Pakistani communities after Kashmir attack
- Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have taken a raft of measures against each other, amid tensions soaring since the April 22 attack
- Britain is home to one of the world’s biggest Indian, Pakistani communities who have held ill-tempered protests outside each other’s high commissions
Pakistan PM takes notice of passenger offloading issue, forms committee to streamline immigration
- Several passengers complained last month of being offloaded at airports despite having genuine travel documents
- Committee comprising IT minister to be led by minister for overseas Pakistanis, submit report to PM within three weeks
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of reports of arbitrary offloading of Pakistani passengers at various airports and has constituted a 14-member committee to streamline immigration procedures, the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis said this week.
The development took place after several passengers last month complained they were being offloaded at various Pakistani airports despite carrying valid travel documents, drawing public ire on social media platforms.
These reports coincided with Islamabad’s crackdown on illegal immigration, which gained significant attention in Pakistan after the arrest of several Pakistani and foreign nationals at airports with forged documents in recent years.
As per a notification by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis seen by Arab News dated Dec. 15, Sharif has formed a 14-member committee comprising the federal IT minister, state minister for overseas Pakistanis, and secretaries of both ministries. The committee will be led by the federal minister for overseas Pakistanis.
“A committee comprising the following members has been constituted to deliberate upon and implement measures for eliminating and minimizing human discretionary elements in the issuance and renewal of the Protectorate of Emigrants (POE) stamp for bona fide emigrants proceeding abroad,” the notification reads.
A POE stamp is a mandatory government endorsement on a Pakistani passport that is required by a citizen traveling abroad for employment.
The committee’s terms of reference (ToRs) include suggesting a “workable and end-to-end digitized process” for online issuance of POE stamps. It has also been tasked to undertake measures to develop a system to facilitate the online renewal of POE stamps.
The committee will suggest a mechanism to monitor workers’ satisfaction with the issuance, renewal of POE stamps and related immigration clearance arrangements.
“[Provide] recommendations for any other related measures which can improve the existing POE arrangements and bring them in line with international best practices,” it added.
The notification said the committee will finalize its findings within three weeks and submit a report to the prime minister.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi last month urged authorities not to offload passengers with valid travel documents.
Pakistan has also intensified its crackdown against individuals accused of exploiting visas to solicit money in Saudi Arabia.
Officials have warned the practice is damaging the country’s image and could affect genuine visa seekers, including religious pilgrims.
