UAE Visa Ban, In a dramatic show of inaction, a parliamentary panel on Wednesday failed to take up the issue of a one-year visa issuance suspension for Pakistanis by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite increasing resentment among expatriates. The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, made no effort to seek an explanation from the UAE over this issue.
It is stated that the UAE has canceled issuing visas to Pakistanis due to the perceived issuance of fake documents, criminal activities, and social media behavior critical of the Emirati government, which were raised by officials in meetings with Pakistani diplomats. Such incidents have allegedly violated the strict laws followed by the UAE. However, the Pakistani committee avoided confrontation over the matter.
Committee members, according to an anonymous source, were hesitant to open such a discussion, lest they fear the revocation of their own personal UAE visas. “These lawmakers have no stakes in the ordinary Pakistani laborer’s plight. They’re afraid of jeopardizing their privileges,” the source added.
Said reasons include forged identity documents, fake degree verifications, as well as an increasingly greater number of Pakistanis involved in theft, fraud, and drug-related offenses. Among the ‘concerns’ mentioned by the authorities of the UAE also included some Pakistani nationals resorting to political protests and posting critical material of the government of the UAE on social media.
At the Senate meeting, some senators would have the issue discussed behind closed doors while others laid blame on international media for “misreporting” the controversy. A member of the committee said the issue could only be amicably solved through direct contact with the UAE rulers by the highest authorities in Pakistan, including the prime minister or army chief.
The continued visa ban has already been hurting several Pakistanis dreaming of going abroad for better prospects, while the silence of the policymakers depicts the failure of the proactive step toward the solution.
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