Pakistanis Face Visa Restrictions in UAE over Disregard of Local Policies
Dubai/UAE: A post on social networking website LinkedIn recently went viral highlighting the issue of Dubai/UAE prohibiting Pakistani citizens from entering its borders with a “blanket ban” through visa restrictions and stricter immigration policies. This move pushed overseas and native Pakistanis to question why the Gulf state was targeting them in such a way, when many were looking forward to visiting and/or migrating to the region for better financial and social opportunities.
One thing that goes unnoticed, however, is that in light of the recent global economic and immigration trends, visa restrictions and stringent policies are apparent in many countries across the world including in the UAE and western countries like the USA, UK, Canada and Australia, respectively. Why then, is there a focus on the UAE for restricting visas to Pakistani citizens when other countries are not receiving a similar level of critique over the same actions?
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The answer is simple. Pakistanis are choosing to immigrate to countries abroad in hopes of better financial prospects, in greater numbers today than in the past but, with so many individuals and families choosing to immigrate and stricter policies to do so, many are taking the shorter route and opting for illegal means disrupting the local policies in place and causing hindrances in opportunities for others hoping to take the legal route for the same.
The post shared by Mr. Saif Ali, a business development generalist, on the networking site questioned the UAE’s decision to place such a blanket ban on visitors from Pakistan calling this move “absolutely absurd”. Ali argued that with the looming conference season many would not be able to attend due to the restrictions put in place by the UAE authorities. A similar argument was made by Mr. Muzamil Hasan on his podcast Thought Behind Things (TBT), in which he stated that people who have legitimate reasons to visit will also suffer due to individuals settling illegally in Dubai forcing the authorities to place a blanket ban.
As rightfully stated by Hasan, a contributing factor for so many Pakistani citizens choosing to go to the UAE includes a better pay package. According to him, an increase in demand for low-wage workers from Pakistan has manipulated workers making roughly Rs.40,000/- as a security guard or a factory worker in Pakistan to consider the amount in dirhams, as they would still be able to get a better pay package in comparison. Similarly, in Dubai many businesses are choosing to opt for low-wage workers entering illegally or with visit visas, hiring them for as low as 1,500 dirhams.
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On the other hand, speaking with Baaghi TV, a source close to the issue has confirmed that although UAE is a longstanding ally of Pakistan, in recent years, the state is facing trouble especially when it comes to handling Pakistani migrants. It is pertinent to mention, that although UAE doesn’t offer citizenship, it is one of the safest and often most convenient places to migrate to when seeking to move out of Pakistan. In this regard, to date, UAE is home to approximately 1.7 million dignified residents who are choosing to make a very secure and respectful living in the Middle Eastern region. This figure includes many who have chosen to return to the UAE from the west because of the respect and the love that they had received during their time in the UAE (prior to moving back), which isn’t even close to the standard of living and social acceptance that they had gotten anywhere else in the world.
However, UAE, like other countries with progressive facilities and safe options for those choosing to immigrate has the right to create policies that serve its national interests above everything else which means, that they also hold the right to deny entry and/or visas to anyone they so please. This is why when Pakistani nationals protest UAE’s policies they also need to understand and recognize that these decisions considered counter-productive by them are based on challenges faced specifically by the UAE locals and authorities. If, for instance, the authorities feel they cannot allow over twenty percent of one nationality to work in a particular company, it is probably because the UAE is focused on inclusivity and diversity while tackling issues like nepotism and/or favoritism of any particular nation.
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In a recent episode of his TBT Podcast, Mr. Muzamil Hasan breaks down the issue of Dubai allegedly “kicking out” Pakistanis. He argues that for UAE, Pakistan is a very important market as many Pakistani citizens, expats or otherwise, have invested approximately $10.4 billion in Dubai real estate between 2020 to 2022, making them the 3rd largest real estate investors in the region.
The source added that although this policy has affected Indian expats the most, it is in fact Pakistani expats, who have questioned the intentions of the leaders and threatened a campaign against it. It is worth mentioning that the UAE is home to nearly 201 nationalities – including Russians, Ukrainians, Palestinians, Israelis, Pakistanis, Afghanis, Indians and many others – settled in hopes of a “secure and tolerant society” with the lowest street and hate crime rates in the world, which is saying something.
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Aside from this, the UAE has specific regulations in place that discourage political rallies and protests within its borders. This is because such political activities not only disrupt the peace of the residents buts also cause unnecessary tensions going against the UAE’s “culture of stability and neutrality”. Given the recent criticism from the Pakistani community, this is a point that has been misunderstood. Pakistani residents fail to understand that each country/region has its own cultural traditions and laws that need to be implemented so that residents and visitors alike can be respected. This is precisely why, a failure to abide by the norms through staging public demonstrations and/or disrespecting the local customs is perceived as a disregard for the host nation.
Another prevalent issue is that of Pakistanis entering Dubai with a visiting visa but staying on illegally once the visa expires. Not only does this cause problems for the Pakistani expats following protocol and complying with the regulations but it is also a violation of UAE’s laws and policies. The source informed Baaghi TV that the percentage of Pakistanis staying on illegally will surprise you and although the authorities keep introducing Amnesty schemes, there is a limit to the schemes that they can introduce. Although one is currently active to normalize illegal visa violations but Pakistanis just don’t understand.
On the one hand, the percentage of crime rates are praiseworthy but on the other, hoards of Pakistanis entering the UAE are resulting in banking scams, employment frauds, drugs trafficking, and street beggars between the ages of twenty-five to forty-five. Admittedly, crime statistics involving Pakistani nationals are also ridiculously high compared to other nations, even Indians. Despite all this, the UAE is only implementing stricter security checks and stringent visa policies which is of course, every nation’s right. Another form of scams on the rise is Pakistani-owned trade licenses involved in visa selling, which undermines the existing immigration system in Dubai. Not only do such scams damage trust between the business community and local authorities, it also forces the implementation of stricter regulations.
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Despite the authorities promoting tolerance and enforcing laws on social media, especially the ongoing situation of geopolitics in the Middle East, there are instances when Pakistani nationals have failed to adhere to the social media guidelines – running slander campaigns, criticizing anything and everything, displaying a sense of unimaginable self-righteousness to name a few – which hinders the efforts to foster a positive and respectful online environment for everyone. If one uses a VPN () to check the trends in other countries, it will not come as a surprise that many Pakistani citizens actively harass their own people, public figures including politicians and celebrities alike, military officials and their families et cetera. not only on the streets but also defaming them on social media. Pakistanis are truly a driving force in creating social discomfort that no one in the Middle East can understand or afford given its own geopolitical situation with nearly half of the region embroiled in Israel’s genocide against the Muslim states, especially Palestine and Lebanon.
It is noteworthy that although UAE and Pakistan are allies, historically and otherwise, and both countries aim to stand by each other in hard times with UAE providing financial aid, economic support, initiating infrastructure projects, focusing on improving diplomatic relations and providing work opportunities to Pakistani nationals, there are instances when the actions or disregard of the Pakistani community in the UAE, have put a strain on this relationship. Therefore, wouldn’t it be better for the UAE to receive a reciprocity of actions and adherence to its laws by all?
It’s crucial to recognize this support and understand the UAE’s need to maintain a sustainable environment for all its residents, irrespective of their nationality. In comparison to other expatriate communities, such as the Indian community, Pakistanis need to reflect on how they represent their country abroad. Constructive self-criticism can lead to positive change and a better reputation for Pakistanis in the UAE and beyond only if they choose to understand and better themselves.
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