Kuwait agrees to lift bar on visas for Pakistanis
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ISLAMABAD: After a decade-long suspension, Kuwait on Sunday decided to resume granting visas to Pakistani families and businessmen.
The Kuwaiti government took the decision during a meeting between Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Khalid Al-Sabah and Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed in Kuwait City.
During the meeting it was also decided that Kuwait would issue technical visas for Pakistani workers in medical and oil fields.
The interior minister, who is on an official visit to Kuwait, handed over a special letter of Prime Minister Imran Khan to his Kuwaiti counterpart.
Following the meeting, the ministry of interior issued a press release which said that Kuwait had decided immediate restoration of family and business visas for Pakistanis.
It said that Pakistani workers would also get Kuwait’s visas according to the agreement.
Gulf state stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis a decade ago
The statement said that the meeting, which was also attended by Kuwaiti Interior Minister Thamer Ali Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah and Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait Syed Sajjad Haider, discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.
Kuwait had stopped issuing visas to citizens of Pakistan, Iran, Syria and Afghanistan in 2011, while citing difficult security conditions in these countries. Since then Pakistan made several attempts to get restoration of visas for Pakistani citizens but to no avail. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Kuwait in 2017 had also pleaded Pakistan’s case and requested for restoration of visas for Pakistani citizens.
The press release said that now Pakistani nationals settled in Gulf countries could also get online visas to visit Kuwait.
The press release quoted the Kuwaiti prime minister as saying that relation between the two countries spanned over seven decades and people of the countries had been enjoying relations based on love and trust.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, while thanking Kuwaiti prime minister, said that after the decision of restoration of visas for Pakistani citizens, huge job opportunities would be available for Pakistani citizens in Kuwait.
The minister said that Pakistani families and business fraternity faced enormous problems with the ban on Kuwaiti visa, adding that Pakistani labourers played an important role in Kuwait’s early development.
He said that all Pakistani considered Kuwait as their second home, adding that with lifting of ban on business visa, trade would also increase between the two countries.
Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2021
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Comments (67) Closed
May 31, 2021 07:36am
Great move and wonderful news.
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May 31, 2021 07:41am
Very good Step. Pakistan Government should discuss visa relaxation with other countries. I hope Imran Khan Govt focuses on improving the value of Pakistan Passport.
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May 31, 2021 07:48am
Wonderful. Love you PMIK.
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May 31, 2021 07:49am
First good work
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May 31, 2021 07:55am
Business Visas and Tourist Visas only. Not for workers
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May 31, 2021 08:07am
No visa stopped for India, Bangladesh citizens.
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May 31, 2021 08:38am
Look at the mask of sheikh Rashid
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May 31, 2021 08:43am
PM IK is rebuilding Pakistan's image on an international level something previous Governments were never concerned with and as a result the green passport meant restricted travel.
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May 31, 2021 08:45am
In the right direction.
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May 31, 2021 08:47am
Great achievement of Prime Minister Imran Khan. No need to provide jobs in Pakistan. More and more countries are ready to welcome Pakistanis with open arms.
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May 31, 2021 08:55am
Amazing. after 10 years ban on Pakistanis to enter Kuwait.
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May 31, 2021 09:07am
Mr. Rashid is saying. Wait for confirmation directly from Kuwait foreign ministry.
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May 31, 2021 09:32am
Kuwait is only opening visas for select personnel and manpower for certain fields, from a number of countries, not only Pakistan. It's wrong to portray this story as if it's an exclusive achievement by this useless government.
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May 31, 2021 09:36am
This is called absolute transparency. A letter did the job. Now a letter to Saudi/UAE/USA is enough.
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May 31, 2021 09:59am
@Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad, are yoy unemployed doctor sahab.dont you havr patients to attend.
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May 31, 2021 10:07am
Kuwait is an US enclave and protectorate. Here being used to make a carrot offering, the flip side of the earlier stick.
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May 31, 2021 10:19am
Proudoment for superpower Pakistan
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May 31, 2021 10:28am
Good job
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May 31, 2021 10:29am
The neighbor is disappointed as usual.
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May 31, 2021 10:35am
i think it is ban not bar (i m not sure)
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May 31, 2021 10:37am
Isn't it islamophobia, that gulf countries are not giving visas, asylums to fellow Muslims in distress.
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May 31, 2021 10:39am
Another feather into the cap of PM Imran for opening our visas. The news says that visas shall be issued for medical and oil sectors whereas last year in June Kuwait to meet the onslaught of corona signed an agreement with Pakistan to recruit doctors, nurses and para medical staff and 121 doctors, majority are juniors, have already arrived while senior doctors are being interviewed. Hundreds of nurses and para medical staff is already working her for over 6 months. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 10:40am
@Concerned- Overseas Pakistani, Best way to improve the value of the Pakistani passport is to firstly show humanity towards your own people - IK knows this.
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May 31, 2021 10:42am
M EMAD! Bangladeshis are not issued visas. I wonder who gave you the news that Bengalis are getting visas. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 10:42am
Interrior Minister doing foreign minsiter's job. Foreign Minister bumbling and touring around the world without any head or tail. Great.
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May 31, 2021 10:46am
adding that with lifting of ban on business visa, trade would also increase between the two countries
An addition to our exports and remittances
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May 31, 2021 10:48am
@M. Emad, No visa stopped for India, Bangladesh citizens.
India banned after catastrophic pandemic. Bangladesh, no labour supply available.
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May 31, 2021 11:08am
No Pakistani flag in the picture, shows how much respect Kuwait really holds for Pakistan.
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May 31, 2021 11:17am
While the security situation has improved since 2016 and 2017, there still haven't been any structural reforms that would consolidate the gains and ensure further improvement. We need to stop acting in "emergency mode" and then forgetting about it, and instead make systems that ensure resolution and prevention of issues.
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May 31, 2021 11:27am
Good diplomacy that produced positive results. Well done PM Imran Khan and his team!
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May 31, 2021 11:32am
Take a look at Annual results of many companies in the Gulf, operating profits have halved. Purchase Managers Index is low in GCC. Labour rates from North African workers is lowest, lower than South Asians. So the visa opening is good for people at a certain income and above.
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May 31, 2021 11:41am
@M. Emad,
Ask anyone who actually works in Gulf about views of Bangladesh's labour.
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May 31, 2021 11:53am
Sh Rashid still don't know how to wear a mask
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May 31, 2021 11:55am
Look at his mask - can’t SR put up the mask correctly not to embarrass Pakistan ?
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May 31, 2021 12:01pm
@Justice For All , Rebuilding image. Relations with US, OIC and EU have gone downhill. Kuwait also has permitted visitor’s visa not employment visa. UAE stopped employment visa for Pakistanis on his watch.
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May 31, 2021 12:02pm
Now skilled labour can again work in Kuwait. Good.
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May 31, 2021 12:02pm
@M. Emad, who cares!
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May 31, 2021 12:10pm
@M. Emad, it living in fools paradise, Kuwait had banned bengalis for years, stop spreading false information
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May 31, 2021 12:18pm
Much damage is done which cannot be undone. Since our visas were banned, the vacuum so created is filled by others particularly Indians who accepted lower money than what a Pakistani got. Indians have brought their wives, husbands, parents, uncles and cousins so they live under one roof to save on rent. Indians are submissive too and they do not grumble if their salary is delayed which we do not accept. I very much doubt if private sector will employ us like before. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 12:26pm
Kuwait didn't issue visa for Pakistanis for a decade - Very interesting fact, and I wonder WHY while Indians were issued Kuwaiti Visas.
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May 31, 2021 12:38pm
Much damage is done which cannot be undone. Since our visas were banned, the vacuum so created is filled by others particularly Indians who accepted lower money than what a Pakistani got. Indians have brought their wives, husbands, parents, uncles and cousins so they live under one roof to save on rent. Indians are submissive too and they do not grumble if their salary is delayed which we do not accept. I very much doubt if private sector will employ us like before. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 12:47pm
Much damage is done which cannot be undone. Since our visas were banned, the vacuum so created is filled by others particularly Indians who accepted lower money than what a Pakistani got. Indians have brought their wives, husbands, parents, uncles and cousins so they live under one roof to save on rent. Indians are submissive too and they do not grumble if their salary is delayed which we do not accept. I very much doubt if private sector will employ us like before. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 12:48pm
@M. Emad, this is about Pakistan and not India or Bangladesh. Why are you so obssed with Pakistan? You need an introspection my friend.
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May 31, 2021 01:01pm
Much damage is done which cannot be undone. Since our visas were banned, the vacuum so created is filled by others particularly Indians who accepted lower money than what a Pakistani got. Indians have brought their wives, husbands, parents, uncles, cousins so they live under one roof to save on rent and food. Indians are submissive and do not grumble if their salary is delayed which we do not accept. I very much doubt if private sector will employ us like before. zaidi4merdiplomat@hotmail.com
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May 31, 2021 02:44pm
We need to throw away the yoke of dependency specifically on Arab nations in order to uplift our stature and sovereignty in all spheres, i wish one day we will achieve this milestone.
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May 31, 2021 02:44pm
@Concerned- Overseas Pakistani,
It is NOT visa relaxation — pakistanis were banned by Kuwait just like how they are officially banned by UAE now and unofficially bannned by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
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May 31, 2021 02:46pm
@Abdullah, lol, why dont u mind ur own business and open up ur mind.
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May 31, 2021 03:01pm
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi,
Don’t talk about doctors and nurses — don’t try to mislead — Kuwaitis are only going to hire janitors and drivers and low skilled labor from pakistan as they are the cheapest
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May 31, 2021 03:03pm
Official statement from Kuwaiti Government mentions nothing about visas — nothing at all
Does the Pakistani minister know how to wear a mask?!
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May 31, 2021 05:31pm
Shaikh Rashid Ahmed has to earn the due respect from International world like which Imran Khan had earned.
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May 31, 2021 05:55pm
Another win for PMIK let govt!!
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May 31, 2021 06:08pm
Great leadership of PMIK, the world give importance to him rather than PMLN or PPP which focus more on their personal gains instead when dealing with the world specially GCC.
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May 31, 2021 06:14pm
Very good intiative after a decade ..
Appreciate your work sir Imran.
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May 31, 2021 06:15pm
Great work done by the PTI government
Appreciate your work sir Imran khan..
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May 31, 2021 06:31pm
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi,
According to Al-Jazeera, a major reason behind dislike and disinclination towards Pakistani workers in the Gulf is involvement of Pakistanis in large numbers of crimes. Therefore all Gulf countries decided not to issue workers’ visas to Pakistanis. This report may please be verified.
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May 31, 2021 06:41pm
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi,
Pakistani medical professionals certificates are not recognized in Kuwait. All Gulf countries do not recognize those certificates
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May 31, 2021 06:48pm
Kuwaiti Citizen Go to any government hospital to know that Kuwait has recruited doctors, nurses and para medical staff working for over 6 months now as I have stated. Please do check with MoH before commenting alike. I have also mentioned that now Kuwait needs senior Pakistani doctors like Registrar, Senior Registrar and Specialists. Menial work is not done by Pakistanis in any case.
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May 31, 2021 07:04pm
IK has respect
Didn’t even showed up just a letter and visa ban lifted
Nawaz went in person meet still couldn’t get things done
Pathetic
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May 31, 2021 07:30pm
First learn to technically wear the mask sir before asking for technical visa.
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May 31, 2021 09:59pm
So now more remittances will be coming to Pakistan
This year i hope that Pakistan can pass more than or nearly 35 billion dollars in remittances
Also if more and more from China and Japan then remittance can nearly goes to 50 billion dollars
Because our trade deficit with China and Japan stood at nearly 12 billion dollars.
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Jun 01, 2021 12:38pm
How can I go Kuwait
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Jun 01, 2021 12:39pm
Can I apply work visa in Kuwait
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Jun 01, 2021 02:32pm
Shame. Since 2011, no visas issued. There must be a reason. Even now, only tourist visas are issued. The fair name of the country has spread far and wide, bringing shame to the nation.
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Jun 01, 2021 05:01pm
Reason number 2,856.101 why some Pakistanis should not be allowed to leave the country.
People like Sheikh Rashid are embarrassing the nation abroad.
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Jun 01, 2021 09:50pm
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi,
In the first place, the specific reason for banning the visas for Pakistani workers in 2011 by Kuwait need be enquired into. Kuwait will never ban visas to any country without justifiable reasons.
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Jun 01, 2021 10:00pm
@Iqbal Hadi Zaidi,
“Indians are submissive too” . That is a huge compliment to Indians. They will always adjust to the way of life of the country where they work.
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Jun 01, 2021 10:26pm
If you have money visit Kuwait as a tourist. Otherwise no visa. Thank you PMIK.
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