The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly frozen visa issuance for Pakistanis, hitting exports and disrupting international trade activities, business leaders have warned.
Speaking on the issue, Ismail Suttar, Founder and Chairman of the Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan, said the UAE is currently not issuing visas to Pakistani citizens under any category, creating serious challenges for exporters, traders and business delegations. He said the reasons behind the restrictions had not been officially communicated, leaving the business community uncertain about future commercial exchanges with one of Pakistan’s key trading partners.
“We sent a letter to the consul general of the UAE on June 11 and followed up on July 7, but there has been no progress so far,” said a Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) member.
Most businessmen have established setups in Dubai, including long-standing corporate offices that have been operating for years. However, they now face severe travel restrictions, with visa applications being rejected across the board. Even established business owners of 30 years, whose immediate families reside there, are seeing visa denials for visiting family members, including parents and siblings. “This has become a major issue concerning Dubai, which is why we formally raised the matter with the UAE consul general,” he said on condition of anonymity.
Suttar said the visa uncertainty was already affecting business planning for the upcoming Gulfood exhibition, scheduled for early next year in Dubai. Many Pakistani food companies are unlikely to participate because they fear their sales teams will not secure visas.
“When sales representatives cannot obtain visas, companies cannot showcase products, meet buyers or explore new export opportunities,” he said. He warned that continued restrictions could undermine Pakistan’s export expansion efforts in regional and global markets, he warned. Shahid Anwar, former secretary general of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), said the visa environment for Pakistani citizens travelling to the Middle East presented a mixed picture. While several Gulf countries introduced encouraging measures, Pakistani businesses continue to report significant visa challenges in others. This divergence, he said, called for greater diplomatic engagement and closer coordination with trading partners.
He pointed to two positive developments. Saudi Arabia introduced a package-based tourist visa programme that included Pakistan among the initial participating countries, making travel more convenient for Pakistani visitors. Kuwait restored multiple visa categories for Pakistani nationals after nearly a decade, creating new opportunities for business, employment, tourism and family visits. These steps reflect growing confidence in bilateral relations.
The UAE situation, however, remains more complex. Officially, UAE authorities maintain there is no visa ban and all categories continue to be processed. “Yet there appears to be a noticeable gap between the official position and the experience reported by many Pakistani business travellers,” Anwar said.
Usman Shaukat, President of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said many chamber members with established businesses in the UAE have faced significant visa difficulties. Several have long-standing commercial relationships and even own real estate there, yet cannot secure visas. Important business meetings have been cancelled, and many exporters have missed major international exhibitions such as Gulfood, Dubai Health and Middle East Health. The challenges affect businesses not only in Rawalpindi but also in Karachi, Lahore and other commercial centres.
Aviation consultants painted a similar picture of disrupted travel flows. Wahid Mukhtar, an aviation consultant, said that in the Middle East only Saudi Arabia’s movement remained strong, driven by Umrah traffic. The UAE, he said, was “badly stuck,” with a 95% drop because visas are not coming through. Even family applications face a 65% rejection rate, with success rates of only 30 to 35%. Visit visas are practically non-existent, though labour visa holders continue to travel. Qatar has stopped on-arrival visas for Pakistanis. Holiday traffic has diverted to Azerbaijan and Tashkent, while Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore continue to perform well.
Masood Ahmed confirmed visa problems are affecting the health sector as well. Visas for Dubai are not being issued to applicants below 40 years of age, even with supporting letters. Those above 40 are being allowed, and during Arab Health some below-40 applicants were approved only if travelling with family. “There is definitely a problem,” he said.Latest News, Breaking News & Top News Stories | The Express TribuneOur CorrespondentRead More