ISLAMABAD – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs have presented a report in the National Assembly, revealing the reasons behind UAE visa restrictions for Pakistani nationals.
The report comes as several Pakistani citizens, including some known figurers, claimed that visas were not issued to them by the Gulf country that has not officially announced restrictions against Pakistanis.
In a written response, the ministry stated that some Pakistanis had submitted fake degrees, diplomas, and employment contracts to obtain the visa, while others had overstayed their visas in the UAE.
It revealed that some Pakistanis are involved in political and criminal activities, while others have been found misusing social media platforms.
Various issues have contributed to increased scrutiny and restrictions implemented by the Pakistani authorities.
Ishaq Dar has said that the UAE has informed that there are no formal visa bans on Pakistanis.
Furthermore, the ministry said the Pakistani embassy in Abu Dhabi and other emirate are in contact with the UAE officials to discuss the issues being faced by the Pakistani citizens.
The UAE has tightened regulations for Pakistani nationals applying for visit visas for various reasons, including the begging issue.
Following the complaints made by the UAE to the Pakistani government, scrutiny of passengers travelling to the Gulf country has also been increased as several are offloaded from planes on daily basis for incomplete documentation or failing the meet the requirements of the visiting country.
One of the key requirements for Pakistanis travelling to the UAE is to provide a valid bank statement to prove that they have sufficient funds for their stay in the Arab country, which is emerging as economic and tourist hub in the world.
Under new guidelines, Pakistanis travelling to the UAE on visit visa are required to show bank statement for last 6 months, with a minimum balance of $5,000 or approximately Rs1.4 million as of March 12 exchange rate.
