The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Wednesday that there are no official restrictions on work visas for Pakistanis traveling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
However, concerns over an increasing number of Pakistanis involved in begging have led to stricter passenger screenings. A senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official revealed that airport immigration staff have offloaded several passengers in recent months to curb this issue.
On December 23, it was announced that all Pakistani travelers to the UAE would need police verification, and travel agents were instructed accordingly.
Committee Chairman Senator Zeeshan Khanzada reiterated that no restrictions exist on work visas and stated that any issues would be referred to the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. However, Overseas Employment Promoter (OEP) Aisam Baig claimed that visas to the UAE had been “unofficially closed,” resulting in a 50% decrease in Pakistani workers traveling there.
Despite the decline, Bureau of Immigration Director General Muhammad Tayyab reported that most Pakistani workers in the UAE are skilled laborers, with 46% employed in construction and 38% in the service sector.
Police verification is now mandatory for work visas, a measure praised by officials for improving standards. The committee urged the Foreign Ministry to investigate visit visa restrictions further.
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