No UAE official ban on issuance of visas to Pakistanis, NA told 

The Foreign Ministry on Wednesday informed the National Assembly (NA) that there was no official ban on the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens by the UAE, reported 24NewsHD TV channel. 

In a report submitted to the NA, the ministry said there were various reasons why the Gulf state limited the issuance of visas to Pakistanis.  

It informed it had come to light that some Pakistanis had been found involved in illegal activities in the country. “Some Pakistani citizens were caught possessing fake degrees, fake diplomas as well as fake job contracts,” read the report, adding, “While some of them were found involved in politics and criminal activities. Similarly, there were some who were caught posting objectionable content on social media.” 

It was further stated in the report that some Pakistanis continued to stay in the country even after the expiry of their visas. 

The ministry also informed that the UAE government had announced the issuance of visas for the duration of five years. 

Furthermore, it said that Pakistan’s embassy in Abu Dhabi had raised the issue with the UAE government at the ministerial and under-secretary levels, while the senior officials of the Middle East Division in the ministry had also discussed the matter with the UAE’s embassy in Islamabad. “The Pakistani officials are in constant touch with their UAE counterparts.”   

Reporter: Rozeena Ali