@saifullahmuhibadvocate: Pakistani Hosts Receiving Notices Due to Afghan Visitors’ Visa Overstay In recent months, Pakistani citizens who invited Afghan nationals to Pakistan on visit visas have reportedly started receiving calls and visits from the police and other authorities where the invited individuals have overstayed their visas or failed to leave Pakistan after the expiry of their authorized stay. The authorities are asking the hosts to explain the whereabouts of the Afghan nationals and, in some cases, informing them that they had invited those individuals and are therefore expected to cooperate in tracing them. It is important to understand that an invitation letter submitted in support of a visa application is primarily intended to demonstrate the purpose of travel and the existence of a host in Pakistan. Such an invitation does not, by itself, automatically impose unlimited legal responsibility upon the inviter for every action of the visitor. Nevertheless, where a foreign national overstays, the authorities may legitimately seek information from the host as part of immigration enforcement. Many Pakistani families extended invitations to Afghan relatives, friends, or acquaintances on humanitarian or family grounds, expecting them to comply with the conditions of their visas. In a number of cases, however, the visitors remained in Pakistan beyond the expiry of their visas due to pending legal proceedings, applications before UNHCR, personal circumstances, financial constraints, or other reasons. As a result, the Pakistani hosts are now facing inquiries despite having no intention to facilitate an immigration violation. Where the police contact a host, cooperation with lawful inquiries is generally advisable. The host should explain the true facts, disclose any information genuinely available regarding the visitor’s whereabouts, and provide copies of the invitation letter or other relevant documents if requested. If the host has no knowledge of the person’s current location, that fact should be clearly communicated. If any coercive action is threatened solely on the basis that a person issued an invitation, the matter should be examined carefully in light of the applicable immigration laws and the specific facts of the case. Liability cannot ordinarily be presumed merely because an invitation was issued. Any allegation that a Pakistani citizen has committed an offence must be supported by the relevant legal provisions and evidence. Every case depends upon its own facts. If a Pakistani host is being subjected to harassment, unlawful detention, or pressure without any legal basis, they should immediately seek legal advice so that their rights can be protected through the appropriate legal remedies before the competent authorities or the constitutional courts. #afghan #afghani #afghanistan🇦🇫 #pakistan #NADRA