Diplomatic, official passport holders: UAE activates visa waiver, says Dar

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday announced that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has formally implemented a visa exemption facility for holders of Pakistani diplomatic and official passports, effective from July 25, 2025.

Dar, who is currently in the US, in a post shared on X, stated that the visa waiver was agreed upon during a bilateral meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, held in Abu Dhabi on June 24, 2025.

The meeting culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), outlining mutual visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders of both countries.

Pakistan, UAE sign visa exemption agreement for select passport holders

“The MoU, which both sides signed to formalise the exemption, was to take effect 30 days from the date of signature,” Dar said.

He confirmed that UAE authorities have now operationalised the agreement, allowing Pakistani diplomatic and official passport holders to enter the UAE without requiring a visa.

The facility has been made applicable across all UAE ports of entry as of July 25, 2025.

Furthermore, Dar noted that reciprocal arrangements have also been extended to UAE nationals.

“Holders of UAE diplomatic and official passports will now be able to avail visa-free entry at all Pakistani airports,” he added.

At the same time, sections of the public criticised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Administration for turning a blind eye to the increasingly stringent visa restrictions imposed by the UAE on ordinary Pakistani citizens, particularly labourers, while extending facilitation to VIPs.

They pointed out that those who contribute to the national economy through remittances earned by hard labour abroad are left without institutional support, even as the authorities go out of their way to ease travel for officials and privileged individuals - who can now enter the UAE without a visa.

Critics argued that the government must show equal concern for the working class, whose mobility is increasingly constrained despite their significant economic contributions.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025