It is not just India-Pakistan bonhomie that is there to watch for in the ICC World T20. In a rare move, India has extended hospitality to Afghanistan by taking special steps to accommodate a last minute guest who landed unannounced on Thursday without a visa at Kolkata airport.
Hamid Akram, governor of Kabul , was given a temporary landing permit, gratis (TLP gratis) by the Union home ministry within an hour of his landing in India without a visa.
He was stopped at immigration when a large contingent arrived from Afghanistan and he was found to have arrived without a visa.
With Afghanistan playing against Sri Lanka on the day, it was hectic pre-match ‘’diplomatic’’ bonhomie as New Delhi got busy to allow the governor of Kabul to proceed to the venue after having already landed in the country unannounced.
Soon after a special chartered plane landed at Kolkata airport, with a large contingent of diplomats on board, they were welcomed by immigration officials who were surprised to find that one visitor was without a visa.
Akram had to be stopped by the authorities, who them contacted the MHA and MEA.
The home ministry wasted no time and promptly the necessary document to the visitor, and informed the MEA alongside.
Top sources in the government said most countries would take atleast couple of hours to process a similar move, which would come after interventions from the diplomatic quarters and the nod of the top government brass.
A temporary landing permit facility extends to a maximum of three days, and can be given to a foreigner who enters India by air or sea, without a valid visa, under emergent circumstances provided the immigration officer is satisfied regarding the bona-fides of the foreigner.
A fee of $ 40 or equivalent amount in Indian Rupees per passenger is charged for the grant of landing permit. The charges have been waived by the ministry.
Since the Modi government has come to power, several steps have been taken to strengthen bilateral strategic and commercial ties with Afghanistan.
