ISLAMABAD, June 9: Minister for Foreign Affairs Mian Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Friday informed the National Assembly that the authorities in Qatar have not announced any visa restriction for Pakistani nationals.

In his written reply to a question during “Question Hour” he said in the first quarter of current year, about 800 visas have been issued to Pakistanis to work on projects relating to infrastructural development.

Mr Kasuri said the government has taken up the issue with the Qatari government on various occasions and has requested an increase in manpower export from Pakistan to Qatar.

In addition, the minister of labour, manpower and overseas Pakistanis is planning to visit Doha to discuss the issue with his Qatari counterpart.

He said the land route between Chitral and the NWFP is closed for traffic at Lowari Top during winter season, leaving the Arrandhu-Nawa Pass route which passes through Kunar valley in Afghanistan, as the only land link for the people of Chitral with the rest of the country.—APP