-Pakistan- -Top Stories- UAE Almost Halts Visa Issuance for OrdinaryPakistani Passports
Caption: Interior secretary confirms Gulf states tighten rules overcriminal activity concerns
ISLAMABAD: Additional Secretary Interior Salman Chaudhry informed theSenate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Thursday that the UnitedArab Emirates has stopped issuing visas to holders of ordinary Pakistanipassports.
During the committee meeting, Mr Chaudhry revealed that both the UAE andSaudi Arabia had refrained from formally banning Pakistani passports buthad practically halted routine visa processing. He warned that an officialban, if imposed, would be extremely difficult to reverse.
The official stated that the UAE was presently issuing visas only todiplomatic and official (blue) passport holders. Ordinary passportapplicants face complete suspension of new visa grants.
Committee chairperson Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri later confirmed theinterior ministry’s position to Dawn. She said the restrictive measuresstemmed from Emirati concerns over some Pakistani visitors engaging incriminal activities upon arrival.
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Mrs Zehri added that in recent months only a handful of visas had beenissued to Pakistani citizens after considerable diplomatic effort andprolonged delays.
Pakistan and the UAE maintain strong bilateral relations, with the Gulfstate hosting millions of Pakistani workers and serving as one ofIslamabad’s largest trading partners. Remittances from UAE-based Pakistanisform a vital part of foreign exchange inflows.
The development comes amid growing Gulf scrutiny of labour and visit visasfollowing incidents involving overstaying and illegal activities by somenationals.
Source:www.dawn.com/news/1873456/uae-not-issuing-visas-to-pakistanis-reveals-interior-secretary”>https://www.dawn.com/news/1873456/uae-not-issuing-visas-to-pakistanis-reveals-interior-secretary
