Pakistan embassy expresses ‘deep sadness’ over visa-stampede tragedy

The stampede happened about 5km from the consulate after thousands of Afghans had gathered to start the application process for visas to travel to Pakistan. 
Among the dead were at least 11 women, many of whom were elderly. 
Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, posted a condolence message on Twitter and said the embassy was working with the Afghan authorities to improve the visa application process. 
“We are committed to continue visa issuance to Afghan nationals under new visa policy while making the process smoother and streamlined at our end,” he said. 
He also stated he was “deeply saddened at the reports of casualties at a stadium in Jalalabad 5 km from Pakistani Consulate where visa applicants were being organized by Afghan provincial authorities. We sympathize with the families of victims.”
The embassy said in an official statement the incident happened when visa applicants were being “gathered and organized by the provincial Afghan authorities.
The embassy also appealed to the Afghan people for their cooperation and to the Afghan authorities “for better and secure management of the Afghan visa applicants”.
“We sympathize with the families of those who have lost their lives and those who have been injured in this unfortunate incident.”
The statement noted that the embassy “would like to emphasize again that in view of brotherly relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pakistan Embassy in Kabul and our consulates in Jalalabad, Kandahar, Herat and Mazer-e-Sharif continue to issue multiple entry visas to the Afghan applicants for their visits to Pakistan for family, business, medical treatment, education and other purposes.”