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Pakistan embassy in Kabul closes visa section amid tensions
 [ENGLISH.ALARABIYA.NET] Pakistain’s embassy in Kabul said on Sunday it was indefinitely closing its consular office in the Afghan capital due to security reasons, amid mounting tensions between the neighboring countries.Closure of the visa section will come as a huge blow for many Afghans, hundreds of whom apply daily for permits to travel to Pakistain where they seek medical treatment, goods and university educations. A message shared on WhatsApp by an embassy front man said the consular section would be closed as of Monday "until further intimation." The front man told AFP that the consular section typically processes about 1,500 visa applications a day. In Islamabad, Pakistain’s foreign ministry said the Afghan charge d’affaires had been summoned to "convey serious concerns over the safety and security of the diplomatic personnel of the embassy of Pakistain, Kabul, and its sub-missions." In a statement, the ministry said embassy staff were being harassed. "They were obstructed on the road and the embassy vehicles were also hit by cycle of violences while going towards the embassy," the statement read. Protests outside the Pak embassy are common, sometimes triggered by people unhappy about visa wait times or security while standing in long queues. Posted by: Fred 2019-11-04 |
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