LAHORE, June 7: A state minister is among scores of Pakistanis having dual nationalities who never bother to meet immigration requirements while travelling back to their homeland every month.

Taking it for granted, State Privatisation and Investment Minister Omar Ghuman arrived here on a US passport in the last week of May. He had no visa or National Identity Card Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) or a Pakistani passport.

According to immigration rules, Pakistanis having dual nationalities must meet one of the three formalities —- a visa, an NICOP or a Pakistani passport.

Official sources said on Wednesday that Mr Omar was issued a landing permit for 72 hours according to a provision in the immigration rules. They said the provision had been incorporated to facilitate people like Mr Omar.

They said during the 72-hour relaxation period, such people were supposed either to obtain a visa for stay in Pakistan, or

get an NICOP issued by the Nadra.

“But most of them do not even bother to fulfil any of the three requirements. Unless there is no penalty, the practice will go on,” an official of the Federal Investigation Agency said.

He was of the view that a person having dual nationality should not be given a public office to stop him from escaping the country in case of corruption.

Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao told Dawn that Mr Omar’s case was not in his knowledge, however, he said, “everyone must follow immigration rules.”