Has UAE stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis? Officials issues important clarification, says, ‘If a ban is imposed….

Pakistan often finds itself in the headlines, whether for its leaders like Imran Khan, its economic challenges, U.S. sanctions, or its disputes with Afghanistan. Now, Pakistan has once again found itself at the center of global embarrassment. This time, the United Arab Emirates(UAE ) has halted visas for Pakistanis due to increasing cases of begging and crime. The announcement was made by the Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry, as reported by Dawn.

During the meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, the Secretary of State commented that both the UAE and Saudi Arabia had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport”. He stated, “If a ban is imposed, getting it removed would be difficult.”

The official informed that visa issuance by the UAE is limited to only those who hold a blue passport or diplomatic passport at this time.

Additionally, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, the head of the Senate Committee on Human Rights, also corroborated the interior ministry official’s statement to Dawn. She noted that the restriction stemmed from worries about individuals travelling to the UAE and later “getting involved in criminal activities”.

In addition, a senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) embassy who asked to remain unnamed stated that the claims circulating on social media in regard to a visa prohibition against citizens of Pakistan. In response to a question concerning these alleged bans on visitation, he stated to Dawn News that “there’s no ban on visas for Pakistani citizens.”