Pakistan urges UAE to end visa restrictions soon

Pakistan on Tuesday called for an early end to the visa restrictions on its citizens for the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The issue was taken up in meeting between Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid and UAE Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi.

Underscoring that Pakistan and the UAE enjoyed long-standing ties, Rashid maintained that Islamabad would continue promoting the bilateral ties between the two countries.

He declared that the 1.5 million Pakistani workers in the UAE were a “valuable asset”, who sent foreign exchange worth about $5 billion to the country annually.

Rashid sought the UAE government's cooperation for the extradition of Pakistanis imprisoned in the Gulf country.

The UAE envoy informed the interior minister that the visa restriction on Pakistani citizens was temporary adding “talks are underway, and hopefully, issuance of visas will soon resume”.

He hailed the Pakistani community for the “exemplary” role in the development of UAE, saying “their well-being is among our priorities”.

With input from PPI