UAE minister stresses that visa restrictions on Pakistani nationals are ‘temporary’

Recent restrictions imposed by the UAE on the issuance of visas to Pakistani nationals due to the Covid-19 outbreak are “temporary”, the UAE’s minister of Foreign and International Cooperation has stressed.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who met with Pakistan’s Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in the UAE, said that bilateral relations between the two countries remained strong.

الشيخ عبدالله بن زايد يستقبل وزير خارجية باكستان #OFMUAE https://t.co/3Afo8nNlTN pic.twitter.com/uXJGPcJtOo

— OFM (@OFMUAE) December 18, 2020

“The close relations between the UAE and Pakistan have continued to strengthen over the past decades, and translated into multi-faceted cooperation, which represents a unique case in Arab-Asian relations in the region, as political relations between the UAE and Pakistan are based on a long history of joint action, trust, and respect,” official news agency WAM quoted Sheikh Abdullah as saying.

The two ministers discussed the challenges and repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic and investment issues, and prospects for further joint cooperation. They also exchanged views on the latest developments in the region and ways to coordinate responses.

More than 1.5 million Pakistani nationals currently live the UAE.

“The UAE and Pakistan enjoy close relations and historical ties across political, economic, cultural and social domains, established on solid foundations of mutual friendship and respect,” said Sheikh Abdullah.

According to news reports, the UAE halted issuing visas to nationals of certain countries, including Pakistan, in November.