Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani on Saturday took serious notice of undue delay in issuance of visa to Deputy Chairman Senate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri by the US Embassy. The senator from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has been facing issues in getting visa for going to US to participate in UN-sponsored event in New York.
Haideri, along with a ruling party Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi, a former military general, was scheduled to travel to the US to take part in the UN-sponsored event, but they could not make it to the US due to delay in issuance of visa to the JUI-F senator. The delegation was to attend Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) hearings at UN headquarters in New York from February 13-14. But due to inordinate delay in issuing visa to the deputy chairman Senate, Raza Rabbani cancelled the visit.
Rabbani, who is also a staunch critic of US policies, has made it crystal clear to the US authorities that no Senate delegation will visit United States unless an explanation to the delay in issuance of visa to his deputy chairman is given by the US embassy in Islamabad.
"No delegation, member of Congress or diplomat of the US will be welcomed by the Senate of Pakistan, Senate standing committees and the senators in their official capacity till this issue is resolved," he declared. When contacted, Salahuddin Tirmizi said that he had been issued visa by the US embassy but he also called off his trip to the US after the US embassy delayed visa issuance to the deputy chairman Senate.