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One News Page » Category » UK » Monday, 5 October 2009 » Johnson defends Pakistan visa delay

Johnson defends Pakistan visa delay

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on Monday, 5 October 2009
(on October 5, 2009)

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The Home Secretary's plans to discuss anti-terror initiatives in Islamabad threatened to be overshadowed by growing anger in Pakistan over the delay of thousands of UK visas.Alan Johnson insisted he was committed to providing an "efficient" visa operation amid reports Pakistani students with places at British universities have been unable to travel because of delays.The Home Secretary, who has flown to Pakistan with Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth from Afghanistan, originally said the trip would be focused on the relationship between Pakistan and Britain in reducing terror threats.But in an article for Pakistani newspaper The News, Mr Johnson wrote: "We are committed to providing an efficient visa operation, with excellent customer service, to Pakistani citizens.
I will be visiting our visa operation in Pakistan to see the action being taken to achieve this."Our aim is to provide a service that treats applicants fairly: the British government welcomes Pakistanis travelling and studying in the UK legitimately.
But we need also to protect the UK border against those who do not meet the visa regulations or pose a risk to our security."There is much that the UK and Pakistan can achieve together on our shared interests of security, tackling international crime and helping our communities share the best of Pakistan and the UK with one another."The delay has apparently built up since the UK Border Agency (UKBA) moved its Pakistan operations to Abu Dhabi.UKBA has tightened its visa screening process since a group of Pakistanis - including several on student visas - were arrested in Britain in April on suspicion of plotting terror attacks.
They were later released without charge.A diplomatic source, based in Islamabad, said: "The visa issue has become a big issue here.
It was always going to be a focus for talks."The two Cabinet ministers are due to meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.

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