The Pakistani government has reportedly blocked the passports of 4,700 Pakistani nationals who are currenty in jail of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The federal government made the decision to block the passports of Pakistani citizens involved in criminal activities abroad.
According to media reports, 5,292 Pakistanis are imprisoned in the UAE on various criminal charges.
As a result, passports have been revoked for 2,470 individuals convicted on drug-related offenses, 100 involved in fraud, cheating, and sexual harassment, and 704 prisoners convicted of theft.
Moreover, the passports of 216 Pakistanis convicted of murder and robbery, as well as 375 individuals residing illegally in the country, have also been cancelled.
The UAE authorities shared detailed crime reports with the Pakistani government, prompting the passport-blocking measures in line with the law.
Two months ago in October, the Pakistani government also blocked the passports of thousands of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi jails.
UAE visa issues
Recently, many Pakistanis faced visa rejections from the Arab country.
Either delays or outright rejection of the UAE visas for Pakistanis had been making headlines, but Islamabad had continuously rejected these reports.
In this regard, the country’s Ambassador Hamad Obaid Ibrahim Al Zaabi met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar.
The ambassador assured Pakistan of its efforts to expedite the visa process for Pakistani applicants.
