Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has informed the National Assembly that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has not imposed any official visa ban on Pakistani citizens.
However, the current stringent screening process is due to several issues that the Pakistani government and its embassy are actively discussing with UAE authorities.
In a written response submitted to the National Assembly, the Foreign Minister confirmed that UAE officials have stated there is no official visa restriction on Pakistanis.
The UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security has introduced a five-year visa, requiring applicants to provide a round-trip ticket, hotel reservations, proof of property ownership, and an advance payment of 3,000 dirhams.
The response also highlighted that some Pakistani applicants were discovered submitting falsified degrees and fraudulent employment contracts, while some Pakistanis residing in the UAE were reportedly involved in political and criminal activities.
Furthermore, some members of the Pakistani community were found to be misusing social media platforms.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar further conveyed to the National Assembly that the Pakistani embassy in Abu Dhabi has engaged with UAE officials at ministerial and under-secretary levels, and Foreign Office officials in Islamabad have also raised the issue with the UAE embassy.
He reassured that the government of Pakistan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remain in continuous communication with their UAE counterparts to address these concerns.
