ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has ordered an inquiry into the "theft" of around 1,000 Schengen visa stickers from the Embassy of Italy in Islamabad, after the diplomatic mission reported the incident to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Without naming any embassy, Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri told media queries that the issue of the theft of visa stickers was reported to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by a foreign diplomatic mission in Islamabad.

"The information was immediately shared with the concerned authorities for taking appropriate action in this regard," he added.

Through a letter dated June 9, 2021 to the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the Embassy of Italy in Islamabad had informed that 1,000 Schengen visa stickers had been stolen from embassy's locker room.

"From these visa stickers, 750 visa stickers had numbers from ITA041913251 to ITA041914000 and 250 visa stickers had numbers from ITA041915751 to ITA041916000," read the letter, a copy of which is also available with Business Recorder.It further reads that the Italian authorities are conducting internal investigations to fix the responsibility.

"Ministry of Interior and FIA are requested to keep track of these visa stickers at all entry and exit points and report any seizure to this ministry," the letter further reads.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021