Too early to call Matthew Barrett a spy: Interior ministry
Comparison of Barrett's case with that of Raymond Davis is unfair: Interior ministry spokesperson
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – An important meeting was held on Sunday under the leadership of Minister of Interior Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan regarding the issuance of Pakistani visa to foreigners. It was decided in the meeting that visa shall now be issued with the approval of the Interior ministry, reported Dunya News.
The meeting was attended by officials belonging to the Interior ministry, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and high-ranking police officials. The issue regarding the issuance of visa to US citizen Matthew Craig Barrett, despite his name being in the blacklist, was overviewed during the meeting.
It was also decided in the meeting that the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) In-charge Fahad Qayyum, who pointed out about Matthew Barrett, shall be awarded with one hundred thousand rupees as the US national’s arrest was made possible because of him.
The initial report regarding the issuance of visa to Barrett was presented to Nisar. According to the report, the officer working in the Pakistani embassy in Houston was responsible for issuing visa to Barrett. It was mentioned in the report that the officer issued visa within 24 hours without overviewing the record. Furthermore, the FIA officer working at the immigration counter at Islamabad’s Benazir Bhutto International Airport was also held responsible for the case.
According to the spokesperson of the Interior ministry, it would be too early to call Matthew Barrett as a spy as the reasons upon which Barrett was included in the blacklist did not include espionage. Furthermore, it was also stated that the comparison of this case with that of Raymond Davis would be unfair.
The spokesperson added that Chaudhary Nisar ordered FIA to come up with a new policy framework regarding immigration and also stated that the issuance of visa from the embassies be made with the approval of the Interior ministry. Interior minister ordered that the immigration system and the blacklist should be updated.
