UAE stopped issuing Visas to Pakistanis: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has virtually stopped issuing regular visas to Pakistani citizens. Furthermore, countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also considering a complete passport ban for Pakistanis. Pakistan’s Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry expressed concern while providing this information to the Senate Functional Committee. Why is the UAE taking action against Pakistan? What prompted this extreme move against the country?
United Arab Emirates halts visa issuance for Pakistanis
UAE’s decision to ban the entry of Pakistanis follows a series of high-profile incidents involving Pakistani nationals in the UAE, including cases of begging rings, street crimes, murders, drug rackets, and overstaying. Pakistan’s additional interior secretary, Salman Chaudhry, informed the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights that both the UAE and Saudi Arabia had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport,” as reported by Dawn.
What Salman Chaudhry said Senate Functional Committee
“The UAE and Saudi Arabia have currently refrained from imposing a complete ban on Pakistani passports, which was under discussion until a few days ago. If a ban is imposed, it will be difficult to lift it.”
Why the ban on Visas?
UAE stopped issuing Visas to Pakistanis: Various reports suggest that the visa ban was imposed due to repeated incidents involving Pakistani nationals. According to the UAE, some Pakistani visitors have been found engaging in illegal activities. Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are increasingly strict with Pakistani travellers because of such incidents.
The UAE imposed this ban amid growing concerns that Pakistanis visiting the country were becoming involved in criminal activities. Officials noted that only a limited number of visas have been issued recently, despite significant efforts, as the process has faced considerable challenges.
Pakistani Government Raised the Issue
Pakistani officials stated that the UAE’s visa cancellations have been ongoing for months. Pakistanis faced a large-scale visa rejection in early July. Even Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had to raise this issue with the UAE government.
