The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reacted to recent speculation and reports claiming that Emirates has imposed a visa ban on residents of several Pakistani cities.
Recent news reports claimed that the UAE government had stopped issuing visit visas to residents of cities such as Kohat, Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad, Skardu, Larkana, and DG Khan, among others. While these reports were widely circulated, local travel agents had affirmed them without providing any official confirmation.
According to some travel agents, visa issuances might be temporarily suspended for cities where residents have been involved in illegal activities or have overstayed their visas.
However, these claims remain unsubstantiated and unverified.
In response to the rumors, a Pakistani official in the UAE dismissed the reports as baseless.
Speaking to a private channel, an official asserted that there are no obstacles for Pakistani nationals seeking visit visas for the UAE.
He further clarified that if applicants have their documents in order, they can expect to receive their visas within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 10 to 15 days.
An international travel agent also shed light on the situation, explaining, "We were experiencing rejections from the immigration department for Pakistani nationals residing in Pakistan. That's why we have removed it as the country of residence."
This is not the first time such reports have emerged, as similar claims circulated last year as well.
However, the Consulate General of the UAE Consulate Karachi, Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi, had previously refuted these reports.
