Pakistan has issued 92,204 visas to foreign nationals from over 150 countries in the past four years, the National Assembly was told yesterday.
These details were provided yesterday by Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal in response to a query by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawmaker Musarrat Rafique Mahesar.
According to the written details presented in the house, 29,622 foreigners received Pakistani visas in 2013, 10,267 in 2014, 22,932 in 2015, 13,456 in 2016, and 15,927 in 2017.
The highest number of visas 27,413 went to the Chinese, 8,065 to UK nationals, and 6,148 to US citizens during the last four years.
The house was also told that about 98,950 aliens had been identified during verification of the computerised national identity cards (CNICs) in and outside the country.
The highest number of aliens (31,472) was confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The lawmakers were told that scammers managed to steal Rs470mn from different banks by installing skimming gadgets in automated teller machines (ATMs).
Some 2,884 cases of fraud had been reported by 76 banks during the last four years.
Responding to a question by MNA Asiya Naz Tanoli, the minister said that 4,937 prisoners in different jails of the country have been awarded capital punishment while about 51 are awaiting execution.
The highest number of prisoners (4,125) awaiting capital punishment is in Punjab, followed by 519 in Sindh, 204 in the KP, 72 in Baluchistan, and 17 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The NA proceedings were disrupted right after the start of the session when a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker pointed out the quorum.
The house later passed three government bills.
Later, continuing debate on the motion moved on January 12, the lawmakers agreed that the nation must not politicise the painful incident of rape and murder of a child in Kasur.
They noted that the menace of child abuse is prevalent across the country and must be handled with national unity.
The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N)’s Shaista Pervaiz Malik said that the incident was not confined to Punjab as another such case had just been reported in Mardan.
“Let’s focus on the issue beyond political affiliation because it is prevalent all across the country,” she said.
She became emotional during the speech, saying that it is a moment of shame for all as they were living in such an Islamic republic.
MNA Shahida Akhtar said that it is time to take collective responsibility to address the issue by effective legislation and implementing on Islamic laws.
PTI’s Musarat Zeb was also teary-eyed when she said that every lawmaker is “responsible” for the Kasur incident.
Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Dr Fouzia Hameed said that the matter must be sorted out, and mudslinging must stop.
Zainab Fatima Ameen u2013 also known as Zainab Ansari u2013 who was found in a Kasur garbage heap, where she is believed to have been dumped after being raped and murdered.
