Representational image. (Pixabay)
A senior interior ministry official from Pakistan has said that the United Arab Emirates has stopped issuing visas to Pakistani citizens. He also revealed that Pakistan narrowly avoided a complete ban on its passports. The statement was made by UAE’s Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry during a meeting with the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, according to a report by PTI citing Dawn newspaper.
Chaudhry informed the committee that both the UAE and Saudi Arabia had considered banning Pakistani passports, but decided not to, as lifting such a ban later would have been difficult. He said the Gulf nation is currently issuing visas only to blue passport holders and diplomatic passport holders. A blue passport in Pakistan is a special document given to government officials and eligible individuals. It is different from the green passport used by the general public.
Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, who leads the Senate committee on human rights, confirmed that visa restrictions are in place. She said the decision was linked to concerns about some travellers who visit the UAE and then get involved in criminal activities. According to her, only a very small number of Pakistani citizens have managed to get visas for the UAE in recent days, and even those were granted after great difficulty.
The UAE is an important destination for Pakistanis, both for employment and tourism. It is also a major trading partner and a key source of remittances. However, in recent months, many Pakistani applicants have faced visa delays and rejections.
Pakistan has been trying to resolve the issue through high-level talks. Earlier in July, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met UAE Lt Gen Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss the matter. During the meeting on July 11, the UAE official assured Naqvi of full support and promised that the visa process would be improved.
Shivam Verma is a journalist with over three years of experience in digital newsrooms. He currently works at NewsX, having previously worked for Firstpost and DNA India. A postgraduate diploma holder in Integrated Journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, Shivam focuses on international affairs, diplomacy, defence, and politics. Beyond the newsroom, he is passionate about football—both playing and watching—and enjoys travelling to explore new places and cuisines.
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