Islamabad: Pakistan’s Ambassador to UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, has described the Gulf country’s refusal of visas to Pakistani nationals as a “Serious and significant” issue, confirming that both countries are working to address it.

Tirmizi’s comments came in response to reports of declining visa approvals for Pakistanis, particularly over the past year, citing concerns over the applicants’ failure to adhere to local laws, political activities, and alleged involvement in sloganeering. In an interview with Arab News, the ambassador stated that he had met with UAE officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and human resource development to resolve the matter. “This is a very serious issue and it has been raised at the highest level in all the interactions,” Tirmizi said. “We are working to resolve the issue and hopefully they will be resolved, but the issue is quite significant and I cannot deny that.”

Tirmizi explained that the visa refusals were mainly due to document authenticity and the criminal records of some applicants. He highlighted that the UAE is now using artificial intelligence (AI) to verify documents, and any discrepancies could lead to rejection.  “We have to train people now for high-skill jobs, like well-trained IT experts, people who are trained in artificial intelligence, people who are trained in accounting, people who have the skills, doctors, physiotherapists and laboratory technicians,” he said.