To boost the tourism industry and foreign investment, the government has announced a new visa policy encouraging the tourists from 50 countries to avail visa-on-arrival facility.
The visa-on-arrival facility was previously available to nationals of 25 countries only. As per reports, Sikhs holding Canadian and British passports would be allowed to avail of the offer and the e-visa facility will also be provided to the citizens of 175 countries.
While talking to the media Vice Chairperson Overseas Pakistanis Commission Ch Waseem Akhtar said that the country is progressing due to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s “public-friendly economic policies” and that “major steps” are being taken to promote tourism.
He added that the promotion of tourism is the need of the hour and the issuance of on-arrival visa to 50 countries by the government of Pakistan is a breakthrough and this will not only portray the soft image of Pakistan but will also bring foreign exchange and investment into the country.
The plan to introduce on-arrival visa was first revealed in December 2018 by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood. The minister had stated that the government was considering initiating a visa-on-arrival facility for almost 55 countries to strengthen the tourism sector of Pakistan.
