THERE is a total ban on all types of visas for Pakistanis in Kuwait. The ban, imposed on nationals from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan, includes suspending all tourism, visit and trade visas as well as visas sponsored by spouses.

It is indeed the prerogative of the Kuwaiti government to hire immigrant workers from any country. However Pakistanis already working in Kuwait must be governed by laws so as not to put them under additional emotional stress, resulting from forced separation from their families.

There have been a number of cases where families have been sent back to Pakistan after paying a hefty penalty since even after the completion of medical, fingerprinting and other formalities, residence visa was not stamped.

Scores of letters from resident Pakistanis in Kuwait appear in local newspapers on a regular basis pleading with the government of Kuwait to issue family visas and not to separate children from parents, and husbands from wives.

To all these queries newspapers respond by writing: “As this is a government decision, it is useless to approach any official. No one can do anything until the government lifts the ban.

The only thing you (Pakistanis) can do is approach your (Pakistani) embassy to ask the Pakistan government to intervene by sending a senior official to Kuwait to discuss the issue. There is no other remedy at the moment.”

Also the ban has been attributed to the ‘difficult security conditions in the five countries’ and to the tendency among nationals of the five countries to apply for visas to bring in relatives who face or could face arrest by local authorities.

We have been authors of our own misfortune.

The ethnic and sectarian bloodshed taking place in Pakistan is well reported here in the media. There was a time when Pakistanis commanded a certain amount of respect.

Prime Minister Gilani visited Kuwait about a year back but as expected nothing came out for the common man.

As they say, hope is the common man’s bread, so I can only hope that the Government of Pakistan would take up this matter with the Government of Kuwait and request it to open at least family visas on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

NASIR KHAN Kuwait

Opinion

Editorial

Return to the helm
28 Apr, 2024

Return to the helm

NAWAZ Sharif is set to take up the reins of PML-N party president once again — seven long years after he was barred...
Missing links
Updated 27 Apr, 2024

Missing links

As the past decades have shown, the country has not been made more secure by ‘disappearing’ people suspected of wrongdoing.
Freedom to report?
27 Apr, 2024

Freedom to report?

AN accountability court has barred former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife from criticising the establishment...
After Bismah
27 Apr, 2024

After Bismah

BISMAH Maroof’s contribution to Pakistan cricket extends beyond the field. The 32-year old, Pakistan’s...
Business concerns
Updated 26 Apr, 2024

Business concerns

There is no doubt that these issues are impeding a positive business clime, which is required to boost private investment and economic growth.
Musical chairs
26 Apr, 2024

Musical chairs

THE petitioners are quite helpless. Yet again, they are being expected to wait while the bench supposed to hear...