The United Arab Emirates’ “silent visa ban” has alarmed Pakistan’s business sector, which claims that travel restrictions are impacting exports, trade, and company operations. However, UAE officials have insisted that Pakistani nationals are not prohibited from obtaining visas and that applications in all categories are still being handled.
Despite having established business links in the UAE, a number of traders, investors, and exporters have reportedly had trouble acquiring visas, according to business executives.
According to Shahid Anwar, a former secretary general of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), there is a discrepancy between the official stance and the accounts of numerous business travelers from Pakistan.
“Yet there appears to be a noticeable gap between the official position and the experience reported by many Pakistani business travellers,” Anwar told The Express Tribune. According to Usman Shaukat, President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, several Pakistani entrepreneurs with established ties in Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi have been difficult to obtain visas, which has affected their ability to attend meetings and take part in international exhibitions.
“This has led to important business meetings being cancelled, and many exporters have missed major international exhibitions,” Shaukat remarked.
Exporters, traders, and business delegations are facing difficulty due to visa issues, according to Ismail Suttar, the founder and chairman of the Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan.
He continued by saying that companies reliant on UAE markets were confused due to the lack of clarity surrounding the rationale behind the limitations. Members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) reported that they had discussed the matter with UAE officials but had not heard back.
They claimed that enterprises all throughout Pakistan had been impacted, and some of them were worried about attending future trade shows in Dubai. According to Suttar, Pakistani enterprises who intend to attend the Gulfood exhibition in Dubai may be impacted by the uncertainty because they depend on travel permits for sales reps to promote their goods and interact with potential customers.
According to business advocates, the crisis is impacting businesses in industries including tourism, healthcare, and exports. Aviation advisors also saw a drop in demand for travel, noting challenges in acquiring UAE visas, especially for family and visitation categories. According to Anwar, the visa requirements for Pakistani nationals visiting West Asia differed by nation.
He pointed out that Kuwait had reinstated several visa categories for Pakistani people and Saudi Arabia had launched a package-based tourist visa program, but he added that difficulties with UAE travel necessitated more diplomatic involvement. The reported visa issues coincide with more general tensions between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The two nations have maintained strong commercial connections, although there have allegedly been difficulties since Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a defense agreement and after Islamabad and Abu Dhabi held financial talks.
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