Karachi Photo Blog

Monday, February 27, 2006


What good relations between India and Pakistan?

This is what people have to go through in the two countries to secure a visit visa to the other. An Indian consular office was scheduled to open in Karachi in January, but to this day there is none. Applications to the Indian Embassy in Islamabad are sent through an authorized courier service (Federal Express/Gerry’s). From what I have learned it looks like the Indian Embassy has asked Fed Ex to not send more than 35 passports everyday. Instead of dealing with long line of people everyday, Fed Ex lets people queue up on Saturday only, when 35 passport allocations are done for the whole week (35 on Monday, on Tuesday, and so on). That means 175 (35 times 5) passports are registered on Saturday. The window opens at 9 a.m. but the line starts forming from midday Friday (a day earlier). People spend night in the open and still many go home unsuccessful in their bid to be one of the 175 lucky people. Pathetic! And it is ugly out there. Frustrated by the long wait people push and shove and try to cut in the line. It is hard not to feel insulted.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home