Beyond the ranking tables

Passport indices are more than marketing; they reveal the depth of a nation's governance and global credibility. Pakistan's real challenge lies in rebuilding trust, not chasing scores.

It has almost become routine. Every few months, a new passport index is released, and Pakistan again finds itself near the bottom. The headlines are predictable, the comparisons embarrassing, and the public reaction short-lived. Yet behind this cycle lies a deeper question: what does a weak passport really tell us about governance and diplomacy?

According to the latest Henley Passport Index 2025, Pakistan ranks 103rd in the world, tied with Yemen. Pakistani citizens can travel visa-free to only 31 countries, while neighbours like the Maldives and India enjoy far greater access. Only Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq rank lower.

China, once far behind, has now concluded visa-free or exemption agreements with around 75 countries, linking travel access with trade and investment. The UAE has gone even further: by 2024, its passport offered access to some 180 destinations.

Pakistan's openness, by contrast, remains among the lowest in South Asia. While much of the world treats visa policy as an extension of economic diplomacy, Pakistan continues to see it mainly through a security lens.

It is also worth remembering that these global indices are not purely academic. They are part of a commercial ecosystem built around citizenship-by-investment programmes. Their rankings market mobility as a tradable asset. But even if they serve a marketing purpose, the results still signal how the world perceives a state's reliability and integration into the global system.

A weak passport is therefore not just about the inconvenience faced by travellers; it mirrors the strength of a country's governance and credibility. It reflects how institutions negotiate reciprocity, build trust, and manage perception. A country with limited soft power and inconsistent foreign policy cannot expect others to relax entry restrictions. And when domestic governance signals instability or weak regulation, the world responds by tightening its borders.

The contrast with countries that have improved their mobility is striking. The UAE aligned its travel policies with investment promotion and trade diplomacy. Malaysia expanded visa-free access to key partners as part of its ASEAN outreach. Rwanda now offers visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to all African Union citizens, using openness as a strategy for business and regional integration. These examples show that travel freedom follows trust; and trust follows governance.

For Pakistan, the path forward lies not in chasing numbers but in rethinking mobility as part of development and foreign policy. Rather than seeking ad hoc visa exemptions with Western partners, Islamabad could focus on regional and emerging markets where reciprocity is possible. ASEAN nations already operate regional travel frameworks that could support student exchange and tourism. CARs share cultural and historical ties that could underpin business and connectivity agreements. Africa too offers opportunity, as several states have simplified visa regimes for Asian investors.

A more open travel policy would not undermine security if managed with planning and reciprocity. Instead, it could strengthen Pakistan's economic diplomacy, attract investors, and project a more connected image. An incremental approach, starting with targeted waivers for business and official travel, could gradually expand to tourism and academia. Over time, such openness would help build a constituency for Pakistan abroad: professionals, students and entrepreneurs who serve as informal ambassadors of trust.

Ultimately, passport power is a reflection of state capacity. The more stable and predictable a country's policies are, the more confidence others have in admitting its citizens. Strengthening Pakistan's passport will therefore require more than diplomacy; it will demand internal governance that inspires confidence.

When the next index appears, perhaps we should focus less on our position in the table and more on what it reveals about the kind of state we are becoming. In the end, the true passport of a nation is not its booklet, but its reputation.