On Friday, the Foreign Office (FO) denied what it described as a “impression” that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had prohibited Pakistani nationals from obtaining visas.
FO spokesman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated at a weekly media conference that the “sovereign right and choice of the country concerned” determines whether or not to provide visas to any individual.
In response to a question from Business Recorder, she stated, “We are not subscribers to the impression that currently there is a ban on visas for Pakistani nationals as we continue to get around to the UAE.”
“We remain to discuss these problems with the government of the United Arab Emirates, and any issues that arise with regard to the issuance of visas and the stay of Pakistani nationals in the UAE will constitute significant agenda items between Pakistan and the UAE,” Baloch continued.
According to reports, the growing number of Pakistani nationals engaged in criminal activity has alarmed the UAE. More than 5,000 Pakistani nationals are reportedly incarcerated in various UAE facilities at the moment.
When questioned about the toll, the FO spokeswoman stated, “I cannot confirm the figures..regarding the number of Pakistanis in jails in the UAE.”
Ambassador to the UAE Faisal Niaz Tirmizi did recognize the visa problem affecting Pakistanis, however, saying he had seen “some improvement, but not a lot” in an interview with Business Recorder last month.
His comments had been made on the fringes of GITEX GLOBAL 2024 in Dubai, which brought together citizens from more than 180 nations.
