Pakistan and Sudan on Saturday signed an agreement on visa-free travel for official and diplomatic passport holders, according to a statement by the Ministry of Interior.
“Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Sudanese Interior Minister Lt Gen Babiker Samra Mustafa Ali signed the agreement,” the ministry said on the social media platform X.
“Under the agreement, holders of Pakistani and Sudanese official and diplomatic passports will be able to enter each other’s countries without a visa,” it stated.
“Both interior ministers welcomed the visa-free entry agreement for official and diplomatic passports,” the statement said.
“This agreement marks an important milestone in bilateral relations between Pakistan and Sudan,” it added.
The statement emphasised that the visa-free facility would further facilitate high-level contacts and exchanges of delegations between Pakistan and Sudan.
“New opportunities will emerge to promote official-level ties and mutual cooperation between the two countries.”
“The agreement will further strengthen friendly relations and institutional cooperation between Pakistan and Sudan, the Sudanese interior minister was quoted as saying.
“Both interior ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further consolidating and strengthening bilateral relations,” the statement added.
Earlier on Saturday, both countries also decided to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation in combating cybercrime, the statement by the interior ministry said.
The decision was taken during delegation-level talks between interior ministers of both countries. Minister of State for Interior Tallal Chaudhry also attended the meeting.
The Sudanese interior minister said his country wanted to benefit from Pakistan’s expertise and experience in combating cybercrime, the statement said.
“The two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in security, internal affairs, police training, institutional cooperation, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and other sectors.”
“Pakistan is ready to extend all possible cooperation to Sudan in peace-building and reconstruction,” Naqvi was quoted as saying.
“Pakistan is also ready to provide professional training to Sudanese police officers,” the interior minister said during the meeting.
Briefing the visiting minister, Naqvi said that with Nadra’s cooperation, 36 million citizenship cards, 9 million national identity cards, 18 million birth certificates and 500,000 death certificates had been issued in Sudan. He said Nadra was ready to continue cooperation in the civil registration process.
On a query by the Sudanese minister, Naqvi ordered immediate resolution of visa issues faced by married Sudanese women in Pakistan, the statement said.
“Sudanese citizens can avail medical facilities in Pakistan and will be provided every possible facility in the health sector,” Naqvi said.
“Pakistan is a brotherly country and Sudan attaches great importance to cooperation with it in all fields,” the Sudanese interior minister was quoted as saying.
He expressed the desire to promote cooperation in various sectors and thanked Pakistan for its cooperation.
A day ago, the Sudanese interior minister held a meeting with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and discussed avenues to enhance bilateral cooperation between their countries.
On Thursday, he also met Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
In a meeting with the prime minister, he commended Pakistan’s support on international forums regarding efforts to restore peace and security in Sudan.
Source: www.dawn.com
