Pakistan says Trump visa policy to affect world unity against terrorism

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday said the United States' policies under the new administration of President Donald Trump will affect international unity against terrorism.

President Donald Trump on Friday put a four-month hold on allowing refugees into the United States and temporarily barred travellers from Syria and six other Muslim-majority countries, saying the moves would help protect Americans from terrorist attacks.

"The new US visa policy will not affect terrorists, rather it will increase the woes of people affected from terrorism," Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said, while speaking to newsmen in Islamabad.

"It will harm the international unity and harmony among world fraternity against terrorism."

"There are around 1.5 billion Muslims around the world and only a few hundreds of them are negating Islam's message of peace," he said, adding, "Pointing fingers at Muslims or Islam will benefit terrorists." 

On Sunday, a top White House official suggested that more countries like Pakistan could be added to the ban list of seven Muslim countries that already include Libya, Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus while defending US president Donald Trump’s decision in an interview, said, “You can point to other countries that have similar problems like Pakistan and others — perhaps we need to take it further.”

Missing bloggers issue

Commenting on recovery of missing bloggers, Nisar thanked the Almighty for safe return of all of them. "The government has no such policy to disappear any citizen in any case."

"Not a single person has been disappeared during three-and-half years of the incumbent government," he claimed.

New Passport offices being opened

He announced that soon 14 new executive passport offices will be opened in different cities across the country. "There will be no district in the country without a passport office by the end of March, this year."

"We have decided to open 74 new passport offices in 15 months' time," the minister said, adding that measures were being taken to resolve issues of the people.