The Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework (AMRF) in Pakistan includes four workstreams, an analysis tool – the Access database, and the Humanitarian Access Working Group (HAWG).
In this context, OCHA’s workstreams in Pakstan are fourfold:

• Identify access constraints, monitor and analyze trends
• Enhance understanding of access constraints and applicable guidelines
• Facilitate resolutions / follow-up to constraints with relevant stakeholders
• Undertake and support adequate advocacy efforts with relevant stakeholders

In December 2010, OCHA Pakistan has launched the online Access database tool at the request of the Humanitarian Country Team. The overall objective of the tool is to support above-mentioned workstreams, by identifying relevant access constraints in Pakistan, monitor and analyze trends based on the incidents reported, facilitate follow-up where requested, and undertake informed and evidence-based advocacy. More specifically, the aim of the tool is to monitor specific access constraints that humanitarian partners face, understand where they occur, which agencies and clusters are most affected, and whether access is improving or deteriorating over time. All humanitarian organizations can report an incident, whereas only a limited number of OCHA staff have the possibility to modify the data in the database.

To track progress of the AMRF, OCHA and the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum co-chair the inter-agency Humanitarian Access Working Group (HAWG), which meets on a monthly basis to review incident reporting, identify new challenges, facilitate the resolution of access challenges upon request, and recommend tailored advocacy messages to the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) and the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC).

Visas on arrival and expedited floods visas are no longer available. Since 1 February 2011, the Government of Pakistan has reverted to its regular visa procedures, which means that visas for foreign nationals must be obtained prior to departure at the Pakistani embassy in the person's country of residence. 'Officials visas' for UN staff or 'NGO visas" for NGO staff can be extended by the Ministry of Interior once the person arrives in country. For more information on visa application procedures please contact the relevant Pakistan embassy, for visa extensions please contact the Ministry of Interior.

• Visa Extension Information/Format
  

In some provinces of Pakistan, PDMAs request humanitarian partners to apply for "no-objection certificates" before launching a new project or programme:

• In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, project NOCs are required for all projects and issued by PDMA and FDMA. OCHA is working with authorities to develop a set of FAQs (see latest draft) to help humanitarian partners with their NOC applications, the status of which can be checked on PDMA and FDMA websites.  For more information please contact PDMA/FDMA or the OCHA field office in Peshawar (Waheed Anwar, anwarw@un.org).
• In Punjab, project NOCs are required for flood-related early recovery projects. NOC application procedures are under development. Please contact the PDMA (Mobashir Ahmad, PDMA DRM Coordinator, mobashirs@gmail.com).
• In Balochistan, project NOCs are required for all projects. Please contact the PDMA (Dr. Siddique Aftab, PDMA Director, aftabmuhammad@yahoo.com) for details on application procedures.
• There is currently no project NOC requirement in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan-Administered Kashmir and Sindh.

Regardless of NOC requirements and for the sake of effective coordination, OCHA recommends that humanitarian agencies should always consult with District Coordination Officers (DCOs), relevant line ministries and/or Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) before launching new projects. For general information on project NOCs please contact the relevant PDMAs or OCHA (Shafqat Ali Khan, khan75@un.org, 0346 856 3610).

A no-objection certificate (NOC) for the movement of foreigners (also known as "security clearance") is required in certain parts of Pakistan. Officially, NOCs are required for travel in all "prohibited" areas (which are defined in the "List of open and prohibited areas" issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).  However, the actual application of this policy varies greatly across the different provinces and districts. 

OCHA recommends that you consult with provincial home departments and local authorities (including District Police Officers) on NOC requirements for the movement of international staff in any new area. For advice on current practices within the humanitarian community, you can also contact your local OCHA office or OCHA Islambad (Shafqat Ali Khan, khan75@un.org, 0346 856 3610).