The Bureau of Emigration in Pakistan has introduced a new requirement for individuals seeking employment visas for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Applicants are now mandated to submit a police character certificate alongside their work visa application. This measure, as explained by Adnan Paracha, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA), has been implemented in response to complaints from the UAE government regarding the involvement of some Pakistani nationals in begging and other illegal activities in the UAE.
Paracha welcomed the move, emphasizing that it is important for Pakistan to uphold the laws of the UAE, given the strong ties between the two countries. This development follows the UAE’s decision to expand its ban on visit visas from 24 cities in Pakistan to 30, alongside growing difficulties faced by Pakistanis in securing work visas for the UAE over the past year. These issues resulted in over 100,000 Pakistanis being unable to find employment in the UAE during the previous year.
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The UAE is Pakistan’s second-largest source of remittances after Saudi Arabia, making it vital for the Pakistani government to address these visa-related concerns through diplomatic channels.
In a related effort to tackle the issue of Pakistani nationals involved in illegal activities abroad, Pakistan has added the names of 4,300 beggars to its Exit Control List (ECL) due to growing concerns over the increasing number of beggars going to Saudi Arabia. This decision followed discussions between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Interior Minister, where they focused on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing mutual security concerns.
