Over the weekend, there was a flurry of unverified reports suggesting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have been denying visas to Pakistani residents from specific backgrounds.
This caused quite a stir, especially considering that the Pakistani community in the UAE is one of the largest and most significant expatriate groups. Many Pakistanis have migrated to the UAE over the years in search of better job prospects and an improved quality of life.
According to the rumors, which were often shared by individuals posing as travel consultants, it was suggested that the Abu Dhabi government had temporarily stopped issuing visit visas to residents of cities like Kohat, Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad, Skardu, Larkana, and DG Khan.
As visa rejections became more common in recent days, these consultants claimed that visas were put on hold for residents of these areas due to alleged involvement in illegal activities or violations of Emirati rules.
However, amidst all this speculation, Pakistani officials in the UAE have dismissed these reports as baseless. They emphasized that there is no such ban on Pakistani nationals seeking visit visas for the Gulf nation.
They further clarified that as long as applicants provide all the necessary documents, they can expect to receive their visas within the standard timeframe, which is typically within two weeks.
It’s worth noting that similar claims circulated last year as well, prompting a response from Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi, the Consul General of the UAE Consulate in Karachi, who also refuted these reports.
