UAE halts most Pakistani visas as criminal cases rise, officials warn ban may harden

 

The United Arab Emirates has halted the issuance of most visas for Pakistani citizens, a move attributed to rising concerns over criminal activity by individuals travelling from Pakistan, Karachi-based Dawn reported. The disclosure came at a meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, where officials cautioned that an outright ban could be difficult to reverse if imposed.

A string of high-profile incidents involving Pakistani nationals in the UAE, from organised begging rackets and street crimes to murders, drug operations, and overstaying, has intensified scrutiny. Earlier this year, two men from Telangana were killed, and another was injured in an attack allegedly carried out by a Pakistani national shouting religious slogans inside a Dubai bakery.

The restrictions cover all major visa categories, including tourist, visit and employment permits. Although existing visas remain valid until expiry, embassies and authorised centres have stopped processing new applications.

Pakistan’s already weakened passport ranking, the fourth worst globally for the third consecutive year, is expected to take another hit. Emirati officials have repeatedly flagged that organised groups exploit visit visas to carry out unlawful activities, with Pakistani citizens forming a significant share of recent arrests.

Over 8 lakh Pakistanis apply for Middle East visas each year

Official figures show that more than 800,000 Pakistanis apply annually for visas to the Gulf and the wider Middle East, with many seeking jobs or using the region as a transit point to Western destinations. But regional authorities have raised alarms over illegal activities involving some travellers. In Saudi Arabia alone, over 4,000 Pakistani beggars were detained in Mecca and Madina in recent years, often during the Umrah and Hajj seasons. Several Pakistani nationals have also been arrested for drug-related offences, prompting sharper checks.

In 2018, Dubai’s Head of General Security Dhahi Khalfan publicly linked Pakistanis to drug trafficking after a major enforcement raid, urging employers to “not hire Pakistanis”. He called it a “national duty” to stop hiring them.

Police verification made mandatory

Reports indicate that in December last year, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations introduced compulsory police verification for Pakistani travellers. For now, the UAE is issuing visas only to holders of blue and diplomatic passports.

“If a ban is imposed, getting it removed would be difficult,” Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry told the Senate committee, adding that Saudi Arabia and the UAE had “stopped short of imposing a ban on the Pakistani passport,” according to Dawn.

The Pakistani government has not released an official response, though foreign ministry officials say diplomatic channels are being used to seek clarity and a resolution.

The UAE has previously placed short-term visa restrictions on several nationalities in response to security or overstaying concerns.

UAE envoy announces new visa reforms despite freeze

Despite the ongoing restrictions, the UAE envoy to Pakistan, Salem M Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi, outlined new steps to streamline visa processing during a meeting with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb in Islamabad. According to Pakistan’s finance ministry, reforms include online visa applications, e-visas without passport stamping, and quicker digital linkages between systems. Nearly 500 visas are currently being processed daily at the recently launched UAE Visa Centre, the ministry posted on X.

Visa-related tensions have been simmering for months. In July, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi raised concerns with his UAE counterpart after a surge in rejections. Earlier, in April, the UAE ambassador announced that Pakistanis would be eligible for a five-year visa, following reports in January that some categories had been “unofficially closed”.

Begging rings, street crimes and overstaying remain the main reasons behind the UAE’s cancellations of Pakistani visas.