The UAE is now mandating Pakistanis to submit a police character certificate to obtain work visas in the country.
According to The Express News, Adnan Paracha, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association (POEPA), revealed that this decision was made in response to complaints raised by the UAE government.
The complaints focused on the involvement of Pakistanis in begging and other illegal activities in the UAE.
Paracha emphasized that, as a brotherly and friendly country to the UAE, Pakistan must adhere to the laws of the host nation.
The UAE has previously banned visit visas for 24 cities in Pakistan. Now, the ban has been extended to 30 cities. As a result, over 100,000 Pakistanis could not find secure employment in the UAE in 2023.
In addition to the UAE, there have been reports of an increasing number of Pakistanis involved in begging in other Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia.
Paracha pointed out that the UAE is the second-largest source of remittances for Pakistan after Saudi Arabia. He has called on the federal government to take diplomatic action to address the issue surrounding UAE work visas.
