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US reduces visa wait time for Pakistanis

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Washington has minimised the wait time for the most sought-after American visas for Pakistani nationals willing to travel to the United States, the country’s embassy said in an official statement on Tuesday.

“Demand for US visas is the highest it has ever been. We are processing more visa applications than ever before and are working hard to bring down visa appointment wait times,” the communique read.

It also said that there were three ways announced by the US mission to Pakistan in which the embassy is working to meet the unprecedented demand.

“First, we have expedited thousands of non-immigrant visa appointments. More than ten thousand Pakistani visa applicants originally scheduled for 2024 at the US Consulate General in Karachi are receiving notice that their appointments have been rescheduled in 2023, some as early as next week.”

Those who have a visa appointment in the next few months at the US Consulate General in Karachi should check their e-mail and log in to their account at the website, ustraveldocs.com/pk, to confirm their expedited appointment time.

“Second, to create added flexibility for Pakistani travellers, visa applicants can re-book appointments at either the Consulate General in Karachi or the US Embassy in Islamabad — whichever works best for them. Our hope is that this will allow applicants more freedom and flexibility to find a convenient date, time, and location.”

The third way the US embassy is trying to lessen the visa wait time is that the US Consulate General in Karachi will begin accepting new interview waiver applications from September 25 for some applicants who have previously been issued US visas.

“Applicants can check ustraveldocs.com/pk to determine whether they are eligible, print out a confirmation letter, and submit their application materials to a drop box without the need for an appointment,” it stated.

Moreover, the US Embassy in Islamabad is already accepting interview waiver applications for qualified applicants.

“Our goal is to facilitate legitimate travel to the United States as quickly and efficiently as possible — because we know how important it is to stay connected with family, to strengthen business ties, study, and make cultural connections with the United States,” the statement further added.

The citizens intending to travel to the US can visit ustraveldocs.com/pk or reach out to the Non-Immigrant Visa Call Centre for help at +92-21-111-234-111, to know any further details.

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In interbank trade, the Pakistani rupee modestly appreciates versus the US dollar.

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In the interbank market, the Pakistani Rupee increased by 0.03% against the US dollar during Monday’s early trading session.

The rupee strengthened by 8 paise against the dollar, reaching 278.48 as of 10:10 a.m. By ending at 278.56, the rupee had lost 9 paise the day before.

Globally, Monday saw a minor decline in the US dollar, but it was still close to its two-year high. In order to obtain additional understanding of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate strategy, traders are anticipating US economic data, namely the December non-farm payrolls report.

The Chinese yuan also garnered notice when, following a strong defense by the People’s Bank of China in December, it dropped below the psychological level of 7.3 per dollar for the first time in 14 months.

Last spotted, the offshore yuan increased by 0.15% to 7.3487 per US dollar, while the onshore yuan fell by 0.05% to 7.3252 per US dollar.

The speeches that various Federal Reserve policymakers are scheduled to give this week, in which they are anticipated to restate their positions on inflation and the continuous fight against price increases, are also attracting market attention.

Expectations of fewer interest rate reduction from the Fed have helped the US dollar gain strength, and last week it reached a two-year high. Meanwhile, the euro fell to its lowest level in more than two years.

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Drugs worth $1 million are seized by the Pakistan Navy in the North Arabian Sea.

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Pakistan Navy Ship PNS MOAWIN, according to ISPR, used naval air assets to perform a boarding operation on a suspicious boat and confiscate the drugs that were concealed in the ship’s hidden compartments.

An estimated one million US dollars is the international market value of the narcotics that were seized.

International shipping lanes were being used to deliver this shipment of drugs.

Within the region’s maritime borders, the Pakistan Navy is always engaged in stopping all types of illicit activity, ISPR continued.

A spokesperson for the ANF Headquarters stated that earlier, during seven operations, another security unit of the nation’s anti-narcotics unit (ANF) seized more than 149 kg of drugs valued at more than Rs 40 million and detained four drug dealers.

He reported that 30 capsules containing heroin had been found in the stomach of a traveler at Peshawar International Airport who was headed to Jeddah.

Another operation resulted in the arrest of a suspect after 31 inebriated tablets were found in a package close to an Islamabad park.

150 grams of ice were found in a package that was shipped to Australia via a Karachi courier service.

90 kilograms of opium and 10 kg of heroin that had been concealed for smuggling were found during an operation in the Balochistani district of Chagai.

In the fifth operation, 45 kg of hashish was found in an uninhabited part of Balochistan’s Coastal Line Pasni. Three kilograms of hashish were found in Hyderabad on a suspect.

During the seventh operation, 500 grams of ice and 1 kilogram of heroin were found in the custody of a biker who was stopped close to the Iqbal Shaheed Toll Plaza Attock.

Additional investigations are underway, and cases have been filed under the Narcotics Control Act against the arrested suspect.

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Outsourcing of Airports: Deputy Prime Minister Commits to Transforming Aviation into a Profitable Sector

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Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has instructed the implementation of all feasible measures to render aviation a viable industry and to enhance service quality for travelers.

He provided these directives while presiding over a meeting in Islamabad concerning the outsourcing of airports and the advancement of the aviation sector.

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