The Foreign Office has debunked reports that the United Arab Emirates has imposed a ban on the issuance of visas to residents of certain cities in Pakistan.

Over the weekend, several false media reports about a ban on UAE visas for residents from 24 cities to Pakistan were shared widely on social media.

The reports wrongly stated the UAE’s immigration authorities had initially added 12 Pakistani cities to its “visa prohibition list”, the number was later increased to 22 and eventually to 24.

Dawn.com could not find any such list on the UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website or the UAE embassy’s website in Karachi.

The reports linked the alleged ban to travel agents sending travellers to the UAE on visit visas after misinforming them that they had a work visa.

When Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch was asked about the reports on Monday during a media briefing, she refuted them outright.

“We have seen the reports. We can confirm that no such ban is in place by the UAE for the issuance of visas to Pakistani citizens,” she said.

Separately, Consulate General of the UAE in Karachi Bakheet Ateeq Al Remeithi also dismissed the reports.

Speaking to Geo News, he said all Pakistani citizens were eligible to apply for a visit visa or any other type offered by the UAE.