A number of Kabul residents on Tuesday said they are concerned about the slow processing of visa issuance by Pakistan’s diplomatic offices in Afghanistan.

They said their applications are denied by the Pakistani embassy despite taking a long time for processing. The residents asked the Islamic Emirate to share the issue with the Pakistani side and find a solution for it.

“We call on the Islamic Emirate to share the issue with Pakistan through diplomatic channels to provide facilities for Afghans in issuing of visas,” said Lailuma, a Kabul resident.

“We came here for visas. We want them to issue us visas. I am sick and I want to go to purchase medicines,” said Lala Gul, a resident of Kabul.

“I have an invitation from Pakistan but when I go to the embassy, no one would talk and it is all locked and no one allows us to go inside,” a resident of Kabul said.

Many Afghans based in Pakistan have expressed concerns about their situation, saying that they have been facing “big hurdles” in the extension of their visas.

“Those individuals whose visas’ time has expired should pay $400 as a fine and this is one of the biggest concerns for Afghan nationals in Pakistan,” said Shakar Sangi, an Afghan national in Pakistan.

“For Afghan journalists in addition to living in an uncertain situation, their visas have expired and they have applied for the extension of their visas months ago but the Pakistan government has not issued their visas,” said Rafiullah Nikzad, an Afghan national in Pakistan.

This comes as Dawn reported that Advocate Umer Ijaz Gilani through an application urged the National Commission of Human Rights of Pakistan to declare that Afghan asylum seekers, especially Afghan human rights defenders, are entitled to certain rights, including no refoulement to them under the Constitution of Pakistan, International Customary Law and international covenants signed by Pakistan.

The consulate services of Pakistan, Iran, Turkey and several other countries are currently activated in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s embassy in Kabul declined to comment on the matter.