UAE ambassador says measures such as online applications and new visa center to speed up travel for Pakistani citizens
People cross a bridge in the Emirate of Dubai. Photo: Archive
The United Arab Emirates is processing nearly 500 visas daily for Pakistani citizens under new facilitation reforms, even as Pakistan’s Interior Ministry warned the Senate that the Emirates had stopped issuing visas except for diplomatic and blue passport holders.
The ministry highlighted growing concerns over passport misuse, human trafficking and the vulnerabilities faced by Pakistanis abroad, while the UAE ambassador presented a more optimistic picture on continued travel and visa support.
The briefing, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, warned that Pakistan had narrowly avoided a complete international ban on its passports, a move that officials said would have been “extremely difficult” to reverse.
Officials told the committee that 21,647 Pakistanis are currently imprisoned in 61 countries, mostly for minor crimes such as expired visas, identity fraud and bank-related violations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Pakistani embassies have data on 90 percent of these detainees and noted that several countries release petty criminals during Eid.
The ministry also highlighted that 93 percent of Pakistan’s overseas workforce, nearly 800,000 people, is employed in the Gulf states, underscoring the economic risks linked to regional labor mobility.
A major part of the briefing focused on human trafficking networks operating from multiple districts in Punjab, which allegedly charge youths between Rs 4.3 and Rs 5 million for sending them abroad through illegal and dangerous routes. Senator Zehri expressed serious concern about the increase in trafficking cases and criticized the almost absence of awareness campaigns at airports and in major cities.
Officials further revealed that more than 500,000 Afghan citizens had lived abroad using Pakistani passports, and some were involved in criminal activities posing as Pakistanis. They said NADRA has now completely digitized citizen records to prevent further misuse.
The committee called for stricter enforcement, greater public awareness and coordinated measures to address the layered risks faced by Pakistani migrant workers and the integrity of their identity documents.
UAE Ambassador to Pakistan meets Finance Minister
The UAE Ambassador to Pakistan informed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb that the Emirates is processing nearly 500 visas daily for Pakistani citizens under new facilitation reforms.
During their meeting in Islamabad, both officials reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening strategic and economic ties. Ambassador Al Zaabi highlighted the historical relationship between the two countries and praised the contributions of Pakistani professionals in the UAE.
Aurangzeb welcomed the update and emphasized that more fluid mobility is essential for business-to-business exchanges and attracting long-term investments. He highlighted the Emirates’ contributions in trade, infrastructure, ports, digital banking, logistics and government-to-government financing, and encouraged greater participation from UAE sovereign wealth funds, private companies and multinational companies.
Ambassador Al Zaabi emphasized the UAE’s continued interest in expanding bilateral trade, attracting Pakistani technology companies and facilitating greater investment in Pakistan. He highlighted active collaboration in agriculture, infrastructure, mining, ports, financial services and virtual assets.
On visa facilitation, the ambassador said new measures, including online applications, e-visas without passport stamping, system-to-system integrations with Pakistan and a new visa center in Pakistan, would speed up processing and make travel easier for Pakistani nationals.
Aurangzeb added that the frequency of high-level exchanges reflects the closeness of ties and Pakistan’s focus on a growth-oriented agenda focused on private sector-led, investment-led expansion. He briefed the ambassador on improving macroeconomic indicators, including stable reserves, reduced inflation, stronger monetary outlook and increased remittances, particularly from the United Arab Emirates.
Both sides reiterated their shared goal of strengthening strategic, economic and cultural cooperation, reinforcing the UAE’s role as a key partner in Pakistan’s trade and investment growth.
