Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed on a formal arrangement for pre immigration clearance for Pakistani citizens travelling to the UAE.
According to the Ministry of Interior, after signing the agreement, Pakistani travellers will no longer have to go through long immigration procedures upon arrival in the UAE.
The decision was made during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and a UAE delegation led by Director General of Customs and Port Security Ahmed bin Lahij Al Falasi.
Minister Naqvi said that under the new system, immigration procedures will be completed in Pakistan before the journey.
He added that once implemented, Pakistani citizens will be able to leave the airport in the UAE directly. It will be similar to domestic flight passengers.
The system will be introduced as a pilot project, with the first phase starting from Karachi. However, no specific launch date has been announced.
Minister Naqvi expressed hope that the new arrangement will make travel easier and improve the overall travel experience.
The UAE delegation welcomed the initiative. They called it beneficial for both countries and assured full cooperation for its implementation.
Relevant authorities from both sides will stay in contact to finalise the administrative and technical details of the pilot project.
Pakistan taken off negative visa list
Sri Lanka has officially removed Pakistan from its negative visa list, according to the reports on Tuesday. This move has made it easier for Pakistani citizens to travel to the country.
The decision came after a meeting between Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Pakistan’s Federal Interior Minister and the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mohsin Naqvi.
Naqvi highlighted the difficulties Pakistanis faced in getting visas. On this, President Dissanayake quickly instructed authorities to lift all restrictions.
