Business Desk 
Dec 12, 2024
Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently discussed the pressing issue of granting visas to Pakistanis at the highest diplomatic level. The UAE assured that it is expediting visas for Pakistani nationals.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the matter was highlighted when UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi called on Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Foreign Office (FO), and discussions on areas of relationship between Pakistan and the UAE took place.
After the meeting, the FO stated: “Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister and Ambassador Al Zaabi also discussed visa issues for Pakistani nationals. The ambassador briefed the deputy prime minister on the steps to streamline the visa processes including augmenting human resources. These steps will cut the delays and expedite the visa processing.”
Previously, the government highlighted that issuing visas to Pakistan was an essential topic during the interactions with the UAE government.
Recently, either delays or outright rejection of the UAE visas for Pakistanis have been making headlines, but Islamabad has continuously rejected these reports.
Nearly every week during the media briefings at the Foreign Office, the issue of UAE visas and the large number of Pakistanis in the UAE jails had been raised, but the spokeswoman rejected the impression that the UAE had put in place a ban on issuing visas to Pakistani nationals and fresh restrictions had been placed by the UAE government.
The government of Pakistan said that granting visas to an individual was the sovereign right and decision of the country concerned.
However, the FO didn’t reveal whether, besides the UAE visas, the issue of a large number of Pakistanis in UAE jails had also been highlighted between Ishaq Dar and Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi. According to reports, these jailed Pakistanis had been involved in illegal activities in the UAE.
