BY: FT Correspondent:
ISLAMABAD– Chairman of the Global Pak Kashmir Supreme Council, Raja Sikander Khan, has called for a comprehensive inquiry into the detention of an overseas Pakistani family at Islamabad International Airport and urged the government to restore the landing permit facility for overseas Pakistanis.
In a statement issued on Friday, Raja Sikander Khan said the family, arriving from the United Kingdom on British Airways flight BA2161, was detained for several hours after Mrs. Ateeqa Qabal, a dual British-Pakistani national, travelled with her British passport and valid NADRA National Identity Card but had inadvertently left her Pakistani passport in the UK.
He said the family promptly provided photographs of her valid Pakistani passport and submitted an online visa application through the Pakistan High Commission in London. However, despite the availability of supporting documents, immigration officials allegedly refused to facilitate her entry.
Raja Sikander Khan said he contacted Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) Chairman Syed Qamar Raza Shah, who intervened in the matter. Following the intervention, Mrs. Qabal was allowed to enter Pakistan after several hours, enabling the family to continue their journey to Kotli, Azad Kashmir.
Expressing concern over the incident, Raja Sikander Khan said the family, including a seven-month-old infant and two young children, reportedly remained at the airport for several hours without adequate food, drinking water, milk for the infant, or proper resting arrangements.
He appealed to Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi to order a transparent inquiry into the incident, fix responsibility if negligence is established, and issue directives to ensure overseas Pakistanis and their families are treated with dignity and compassion.
Raja Sikander Khan also urged the government to restore the previous landing permit facility for overseas Pakistanis whose Pakistani passports or NADRA cards had expired, subject to verification, particularly in emergency situations.
He said overseas Pakistanis make invaluable contributions to Pakistan through remittances and deserve a facilitative, efficient and humane immigration system when travelling to their homeland.
