Bahrain Bans Pakistan Visas: Exploring The Reasoning Behind The Decision

In 2024, several countries, including the UAE, Bahrain's neighbour, imposed a visa ban on Pakistan. While there is no official comprehensive ban on visas for Pakistani citizens by the UAE, there have been reports of visa restrictions for specific categories and certain nationalities, including Pakistanis, due to security concerns. Bahrain may have decided to follow suit and impose similar restrictions.

The UAE initially imposed a temporary suspension of new visas for Pakistani citizens due to COVID-19 concerns

In November 2020, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) temporarily suspended visas for Pakistani citizens due to concerns over the second wave of COVID-19. This suspension was part of a broader suspension of visitor visas from 12 countries, all of which had high rates of COVID-19 at the time. Pakistan's Foreign Minister confirmed that the ban was related to COVID-19 and not connected to Pakistan's refusal to recognise Israel.

However, some have speculated that the visa ban was imposed due to tensions between the UAE and Pakistan. The UAE has not recognised Palestine and recently established relations with Israel, while Pakistan maintains its position that it cannot recognise Israel until a satisfactory settlement of the Palestine issue is found. This difference in stances may have contributed to the visa suspension.

It is important to note that the UAE has clarified that there is no ban on UAE visas for Pakistani nationals, and the suspension was only temporary. The UAE is a critical labour market for Pakistani workers and the second-largest destination for Pakistani labour after Saudi Arabia. The UAE values its diplomatic ties with Pakistan and has affirmed its commitment to transparent and cooperative relations.

While the initial suspension was attributed to COVID-19 concerns, there have been subsequent reports of visa restrictions for Pakistani citizens. In 2023, there were rumours that the UAE had stopped issuing visit visas to residents of several Pakistani cities, but these reports were dismissed by a Pakistani official in the UAE as baseless. Local travel agents had affirmed the reports, stating that when residents of a city are involved in illegal activities or overstay their visas, the UAE temporarily stops issuing visas to that city.

In 2024, the UAE placed an indefinite ban on visas for young Pakistani citizens travelling alone. This decision was based on concerns regarding Pakistani expatriates, as outlined by Dr Arshad to the Senate Standing Committee for Overseas Pakistanis. Dr Arshad noted that a UAE news outlet reported that 50% of crimes in the country involved Pakistanis, and the UAE's Pakistani expatriate population exceeds 1.6 to 1.8 million people.

There are reports of visa denials for Pakistani residents from specific regions or backgrounds

There have been unverified reports of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) rejecting visa applications from Pakistani residents from specific regions and with specific backgrounds. These reports have caused a frenzy within the large Pakistani diaspora in the UAE, one of the largest and most significant expatriate communities in the country.

The rumours, shared by people posing as travel consultants, suggest that the Abu Dhabi government halted issuing visit visas to residents of cities such as Kohat, Abbottabad, Muzaffarabad, Skardu, Larkana, and DG Khan. As many Pakistanis faced visa rejection, travel consultants claimed that issuances were suspended due to the involvement of residents from these areas in illegal activities or violations of Emirati rules.

Pakistani officials in the UAE have denied these reports as baseless. They clarified that as long as applicants have all the required documents, they can expect to receive their visas within the standard timeframe of two weeks. This is not the first time such reports have surfaced, and similar claims were dismissed by the Consulate General of the UAE Consulate Karachi, Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi, last year.

It is important to note that the UAE has expressed concerns about Pakistani expatriates, with a private news outlet reporting that 50% of crimes in the country involve Pakistanis. Additionally, the UAE has noted that the Pakistani expatriate population exceeds 1.6 to 1.8 million people, and a significant number of them travel to Iran and Saudi Arabia for Ziarat, often ending up as beggars. These factors may have contributed to the concerns surrounding Pakistani visa applications.

The UAE stopped issuing visit visas to residents of several Pakistani cities, including Kohat and Abbottabad

In October 2023, reports emerged that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had stopped issuing visit visas to residents of several Pakistani cities, including Kohat and Abbottabad, among others. Local travel agents affirmed these reports, but no official statement or confirmation was provided. Travel agents suggested that visa issuances might be temporarily suspended for cities where residents have engaged in illegal activities or overstayed their visas. However, these claims were not substantiated.

Pakistani officials in the UAE promptly dismissed these reports as baseless. They asserted that there were no obstacles for Pakistani nationals seeking visit visas and that visa applications with the required documents would be processed within a typical timeframe of 10 to 15 days. The Consulate General of the UAE Consulate Karachi, Bakheet Ateeq Al-Remeithi, also refuted the reports, stating that there was no visa ban for Pakistani citizens and that they could apply for various UAE visas.

The UAE's denial of the visa ban reports was reiterated by the Consulate General, Bakheet Obaid Al-Roumi, in June 2024. Al-Roumi emphasised that the visa section at the UAE consulate remained open and that Pakistanis were welcome to apply for work visas without any age restrictions. The Foreign Office spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, also confirmed that the UAE had not blacklisted the issuance of visas to Pakistanis from specific cities.

It is worth noting that similar claims about visa restrictions for Pakistani residents of certain cities had circulated in 2023, which were also refuted by the UAE Consulate at the time. While the UAE has denied the existence of a visa ban, concerns about alleged denials of work visas from Pakistan to certain cities in the UAE have persisted.

Pakistan has a democratic government, and cannot admit Israel—this is speculated to be the real reason for the ban

Bahrain is not the only country to have banned visas for Pakistani citizens. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait have also imposed similar restrictions. In the case of the UAE, a source informed Reuters that the visa ban was temporary and due to security concerns. However, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry believed it was related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UAE and Saudi Arabia's anger towards Pakistan is speculated to be the real reason for the ban. This anger is believed to be due to Pakistan's democratic government and its inability to admit Israel, especially considering the UAE's recent friendship with Israel. This new friendship is said to be causing a divide among Islamic countries.

Pakistan's democratic government is speculated to be the main reason for the visa ban. Admitting Israel would be impossible for Pakistan, and this is believed to be the underlying cause of the issue.

The situation is critical, and it is feared that the UAE's condition could deteriorate like Palestine under Israel's rule. The UAE remains unaware of Israel's dangerous ambitions, and as an Islamic country, it risks isolation from other Islamic nations.

The UAE noted that their Pakistani expatriate population exceeds 1.6 to 1.8 million people

The UAE has a large Pakistani expatriate population, with estimates ranging from 1.6 to 2 million people. This makes Pakistanis the second-largest community of expatriates in the UAE, constituting around 12-13% of the country's total population. Dubai alone accounts for a Pakistani population of 400,000. Pakistani expatriates are spread across the UAE, with significant populations in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and the remaining Northern Emirates. They are also the third-largest overseas Pakistani community globally, after Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

The Pakistani expatriate population in the UAE is diverse, with people from various regions of Pakistan, including Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit Baltistan. While many tend to be skilled and semi-skilled professionals, a large portion are also unskilled migrant workers. Pakistanis outnumber Emirati nationals in three of the UAE's emirates: Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman.

The UAE and Pakistan maintain strong economic relations, with the UAE being the second-biggest trading partner of Pakistan. The large skilled and semi-skilled Pakistani workforce contributes significantly to the UAE economy. Pakistanis are well-represented in various sectors, including banking, logistics, transport, and the services sector. They are also among the top ten investors in the UAE property market, particularly in Dubai, where many wealthy Pakistanis own expensive properties.

The Pakistani community in the UAE is socially and culturally active, with several organisations representing them, such as the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and the Pakistan Association of Dubai (PAD). They celebrate Pakistani cultural events and traditions, such as Independence Day, and Urdu, being the national language of Pakistan, is widely spoken within the community.

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