Come here to Pretoria and see how they have a dump pile for processing. Handed in passport; the fellow says we will call you. ok. 3 days go by nothing, on 5th day go and it is still sitting on the same bluxum place. I tell this guy, man 5 days and nothing I want to speak with your senior ... he is in a meeting... where is the first secretary... in a meeting... then ambassador... in a meeting. I wait there for 4 hrs, noone was around. Bottom line, there was no one there. All were awol and this is the state of affairs.
my other friend was invited to Islamabad for a mathematics symposium. After 1 week, he gave up. This is just early on in March this year.
He travelled to India for major industrial mathematics conferences and workshops; no issues - processed on time and no hassles.