According to a briefing in the Pakistani Senate’s Human Rights Committee, the UAE (and Saudi Arabia) has “stopped short” of a full passport ban — but for now, ordinary Pakistani passport holders (green-passport) are nearly barred from getting new visas. Only “blue” passports (for government officials) and diplomatic passports continue to be accepted.

The shift comes after repeated instances of visa misuse — including cases of fake credentials, overstays, and alleged criminal activities by some Pakistani nationals in the Gulf. Pakistani Interior Ministry officials say that if a full passport ban were imposed, reversing it would be very difficult.

However, UAE diplomatic sources push back: a senior UAE consular official claimed all visa types are being processed and denied that there is any official blanket ban on Pakistani visas.

This unofficial freeze has serious implications for thousands of Pakistani workers and families with links to the Gulf — affecting travel, remittances, and expatriate plans.