Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) addressed the important issue of visa issuance for Pakistani nationals during a high-level diplomatic meeting on Wednesday.
During the meeting, UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi assured Pakistan that steps would be taken to expedite the visa processing for Pakistani applicants.
The discussions took place when Ambassador Al Zaabi met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar at the Foreign Office (FO). The meeting also focused on strengthening cooperation between the two nations, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
The FO noted that the visa issue was one of the key topics of discussion, with the UAE ambassador informing the foreign minister about efforts to streamline visa processes. This includes increasing human resources to reduce delays and accelerate processing times.
The government had previously highlighted visa issuance as a priority issue during discussions with the UAE government. Reports of delays or rejections of UAE visas for Pakistanis had recently made headlines, though Islamabad consistently denied these claims.
During Foreign Office media briefings, questions about the UAE’s visa policies and the large number of Pakistanis in UAE jails were raised, but the spokesperson clarified that there was no ban on issuing visas to Pakistani nationals. The FO also reiterated that granting visas is a sovereign right of the UAE.
While the FO did not confirm whether the issue of jailed Pakistanis was discussed, it is reported that many of these individuals were involved in illegal activities in the UAE.
The spokesperson had previously responded to questions about the reported 5,000 Pakistanis in UAE jails, stating she could not confirm the figures.
Additionally, UK High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, met with Foreign Minister Dar to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, reaffirming the commitment to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
