MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
No. WE-1/11/67
Islamabad, 20th June, 1967.
Excellency,
I have the honour to refer to your letter dated the 15th June, 1967, addressed to
the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and to convey the concurrence of the Government
of Pakistan to the conclusion of an Agreement on the use of Seamen's books as travel
documents, communicated through Your Excellency's letter quoted above, the texts of
which are reproduced below:
”The Government of Pakistan on the one hand, and the Governments of the Kingdom of
Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, acting
jointly in conformity with the Agreement of April 11, 1960, on the transfer of Passport
Control to the Outer Frontiers of Benelux territory, on the other hand;
Desirous of facilitating as much as possible the movement of seamen in their respective
territories;
Have agreed as follows:
For the purpose of the present Agreement the term “Benelux countries” shall mean the
Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands;
the term “Benelux territory” shall mean the joint territories in Europe of the Kingdom
of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Seamen of Pakistan nationality holding a valid Pakistan seaman's book shall be admitted
without a visa to Benelux territory for the purpose of being enrolled on board a ship,
provided that they are also in possession of a declaration from the ship-owners concerned
stating that they are due to proceed to Benelux territory in order to join a particular
vessel lying at a particular port; this declaration shall guarantee the payment by
the ship-owners of the cost of repatriation if, for any reason, the enrolment does
not take place.
Seamen of Pakistan nationality holding a valid Pakistan seaman's book may pass through
Benelux territory without a visa for the purpose;
In the latter case they shall furnish proof of the purpose of their journey, either
by producing a declaration issued by the shipowners concerned or by any other means.
Belgian, Luxembourg and Netherlands seamen, holding a valid Belgian, Luxembourg or
Netherlands seaman's book respectively may be admitted to Pakistan without a visa
under the same conditions as are prescribed for the entry of Pakistan seamen into
Benelux territory.
The Pakistan frontier and the Outer Frontiers of Benelux territory shall be crossed
only at recognised frontier stations.
Each Government reserves the right to refuse entry into its territory to holders of
seaman's books whom it considers undesirable.
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1 The Belgian, Luxembourg and Netherlands Governments undertake to repatriate at any
time and without formalities Belgian, Netherlands and Luxembourg seamen who have entered
Pakistan under the provisions of the present Agreement.
Seamen who enter Pakistan or Benelux territory under the present Agreement shall,
during their stay in Pakistan or in any of the Benelux countries, be subject to the
regulations regarding aliens that obtain in those contries.
As far as the Kingdom of the Netherlands is concerned, the field of application of
the present Agreement can be extended to Surinam and to the Netherlands Antilles,
by means of a notification of the Government of the Netherlands to the Government
of Pakistan.
This Agreement shall enter into force on the First of July, 1967.
It shall remain in force for a period of one year; if it has not been denounced one
month prior to the expiry of that period, it shall be regarded as having been renewed
for an indefinite time. After the first period of one year, any of the signatory Governments
may denounce the Agreement by giving one month's notice of its intention to do so
in a notification addressed to the Belgian Government.
The Agreement shall cease to operate if any one of the signatory Governments denounces
it.
The Belgian Government shall inform the other signatory Governments of the receipt
of any notification of the kind referred to in this Article.
I have the honour to say that this letter and Your Excellency's letter to the same
effect, shall be considered as constituting an Agreement between the Government of
Pakistan and the Governments of the Benelux countries on the use of Seaman's book
as travel document.
Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.
(sd.) S. M. YUSUF S.Pk., CSP,
Foreign Secretary
His Excellency Mr. Alex Laboyrie
Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary,
Royal Netherlands Embassy in Pakistan,
Karachi