Iraq has announced its decision to grant visa-free entry to citizens of Pakistan

Pakistan and Iraq have recently inked agreements to waive visa requirements for holders of diplomatic passports from both nations. The announcement was made by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, during his official visit to Iraq.

Bilawal arrived in Baghdad for a three-day trip, which includes meetings with Iraqi leaders and the commencement of construction for Pakistan’s new embassy building, as confirmed by Pakistan’s foreign office.

Upon his arrival, Bilawal received a warm welcome from Iraq’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Muhammad Hussain Bahr-ul-Uloom, Pakistan’s ambassador to Iraq, Ahmed Amjad Ali, and other senior officials from the Pakistani embassy.

During his packed schedule, the Foreign Minister held meetings with his Iraqi counterpart, Dr. Fuad Hussein, as well as the Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and other officials. The discussions primarily focused on bolstering bilateral relations between the two countries. Consequently, two memoranda of understanding (MOUs) were signed between Pakistan and Iraq, emphasizing increased cultural cooperation and the elimination of visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders, according to a statement issued by Pakistan’s foreign office.

Bhutto-Zardari’s visit to Iraq also involves the groundbreaking ceremony for Pakistan’s new embassy building. Additionally, he intends to explore historically significant sites and identify areas where both countries can mutually benefit from each other’s expertise.

Diplomatic passports are specialized travel documents issued to government officials and diplomats who undertake official trips abroad. These passports confer specific privileges and immunities, such as expedited entry and diplomatic protection, while representing their respective countries overseas. While Pakistan already has visa abolition agreements with various countries for regular, official, and diplomatic passports, this new agreement with Iraq will enable visa-free travel for Pakistani diplomatic passport holders, streamlining and expediting the process.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.