Leaked documents obtained by Afghanistan International reveal that the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior (MoI) has raised concerns over the illegal issuance of Afghan visas to Pakistani citizens.
A letter from the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, leaked by the hacker group TalibLeaks, shows that the MoI has accused the group’s diplomatic missions in Pakistan of violating visa regulations by granting long-term visas to Pakistani citizens in breach of official guidelines.
The Taliban consulate in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, allegedly issued long-term visas to 800 to 1,000 Pakistani citizens, who later applied for extensions in Kandahar.
In response, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed all its diplomatic missions in Pakistan to issue only single-entry visas instead of business visas to Pakistani citizens.
The letter also warned that issuing long-term visas to Pakistanis could undermine the Taliban’s diplomatic credibility and devalue Afghan visas internationally.
Despite the Taliban’s lenient visa policies for Pakistanis, Pakistan has significantly restricted visa issuance for Afghans. Online visa applications to Pakistan cost $20, but there is no guarantee of approval. Many Afghan applicants face rejection, and the Pakistani government does not refund the fee for declined applications. Travel agencies in Kabul report that many visa applications are rejected arbitrarily despite payment.
Meanwhile, the process of obtaining Pakistani visas in Afghanistan has become a hub of corruption, with reports indicating that visas are sold on the black market for up to $1,500. Allegedly, some Taliban members are involved in this corruption, yet the group has not raised concerns with Islamabad.
Afghan refugees in Pakistan face increasing visa restrictions. Previously, they could extend their visas for six months, but the new policy only allows extensions for one month. Under Pakistan’s latest regulations, Afghans cannot renew their visas beyond a month, leaving many in legal limbo.
