UAE Ambassador Salem M. Salem Al Bawab Al Zaabi informed Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb that the Emirates is currently processing nearly 500 visas per day for Pakistani nationals.
He said the UAE has introduced a series of new facilitation measures to make visa processing faster and more convenient.
During the meeting in Islamabad, Ambassador Al Zaabi reaffirmed the strong historic relationship between the two countries and praised the contribution of Pakistani professionals working in the UAE.
He said both nations are expanding cooperation in trade, investment, technology, agriculture, ports, logistics, and financial services.
The ambassador highlighted new reforms that include online visa applications, e-visas without passport stamping, system-to-system data integration with Pakistan, and the opening of a new visa center to further speed up processing.
He noted that these steps are designed to support increased mobility and make travel smoother for Pakistani nationals.
Separately, Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry had told a Senate committee that the UAE was issuing visas only to diplomatic and blue passport holders, citing concerns related to passport misuse and human trafficking.
His briefing referenced broader challenges facing Pakistan’s immigration controls and the risks posed by trafficking networks.
Aurangzeb welcomed the UAE’s updated visa facilitation measures and said smoother mobility will help deepen private-sector cooperation and long-term investment.
He briefed the ambassador on Pakistan’s improving macroeconomic indicators, including stable reserves, easing inflation, a firmer currency outlook, and rising remittances from the UAE.
