Passports being distributed to Afghans in Saudi Arabia

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghan citizens previously traveled on Pakistani passports to Saudi Arabia are being distributed Afghan passports, the Afghan embassy in Riyadh said on Wednesday.

In a statement, the Afghan diplomatic mission thanked Saudi King Khadem-ul-Harmain Sharifain Salman Al Saud for cooperation in this regard.

The statement said the distribution of passports to Afghans was made possible as result of efforts by President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and officials of the Foreign Ministry.

Afghans who in the past used Pakistani documents will now have Afghan identity papers with the distribution of passports to them.

The process would start from November 22, the statement said. According to the Work and Social Affairs Ministry, currently 300,000 Afghans are working in Saudi Arabia.

Most of Afghans went to Saudi from Pakistan on Pakistani passports. At that time, Saudi Arabia denied visas to Afghan citizens.

nh/mud