The federal government has reportedly begun creating obstacles in the planned visit of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to Bangladesh, it was reported on Friday.
According to insiders, the SAARC travel sticker required for the JUI-F chief’s official visit has not yet been affixed to his passport.
For parliamentarians traveling to SAARC countries, a special sticker issued by the passport department of the Pakistan foreign ministry serves in place of a visa, the sources explained.
They further revealed that Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s passport was sent to the Passport Department last week for the necessary formalities, but the process remains incomplete.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq reportedly contacted the Director General of Passports to inquire about the delay.
The DG, however, attributed the issue to the Ministry of Interior, stating that his department was not issuing SAARC stickers on the ministry’s directives.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman is scheduled to depart for Bangladesh on November 11, but the delay in the issuance of the SAARC sticker has raised concerns over whether the visit will proceed as planned.
