ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s passport has been ranked the fourth worst in the world by a global index that grades travel documents from different countries on the basis of international mobility enjoyed by their holders.
The Henley Passport Index has exclusive access to data from the International Air Transport Authority (IATA). It compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 different travel destinations.
The index is updated quarterly and is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum.
Pakistan is placed on the 108th position on the list, the fourth worst in the index, with visa-free access to only 31 destinations across the world. Only three other countries’ passports rank lower than Pakistan’s in the world which include Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
A Pakistani passport holder, as per the index, requires visas for 196 travel destinations across the globe.
Pakistan’s eastern neighbor India ranks 84th on the list, with visa-free access to 59 destinations across the globe.
Pakistan acquired its best rank in 2006, when it was placed on number 76 on the index.
Last year, it was placed on number 113.
Pakistan’s passport ranks fourth-worst for international travel — index
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Pakistan’s passport ranks fourth-worst for international travel — index
- The country is placed on 108th position on the Henley Passport Index, right above Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq
- Pakistanis have visa-free access to only 31 destinations across the world
Pakistani president arrives in Iraq to deepen trade, energy cooperation
- Visit follows recent high-level contacts as Islamabad seeks to expand limited commercial ties with Baghdad
- Talks are expected to cover investment, manpower and facilitation of Pakistani pilgrims visiting holy sites in Iraq
ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Iraq on Saturday on an official visit aimed at expanding cooperation in trade, energy and investment, as Pakistan seeks to deepen ties with Baghdad after years of limited engagement.
Pakistan and Iraq established diplomatic relations in 1947 and have traditionally maintained cordial ties, though commercial links remain modest, with officials and business groups identifying scope for cooperation in construction services, pharmaceuticals, manpower and agricultural exports.
“President Asif Ali Zardari arrived in Baghdad on a four-day official visit to Iraq,” his office said in a post on X. “He was received by Culture Minister Dr. Ahmed Fakkak Al-Badrani. During the visit, meetings with senior Iraqi leadership are expected to advance cooperation and further strengthen Pakistan-Iraq relations.”
Zardari’s visit follows a series of recent high-level contacts between the two countries, reflecting efforts to broaden bilateral engagement beyond traditional diplomatic ties and explore collaboration across economic, political and people-to-people domains.
According to Pakistan’s foreign office, the president is expected to hold meetings with Iraq’s senior leadership to discuss cooperation in various areas such as trade and investment, energy, technology, education and manpower.
He is also expected to discuss regional and international issues with Iraqi officials.
Earlier this month, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met his Iraqi counterpart, Abdul Ameer Al-Shammari, on the sidelines of meetings in Brussels, where both sides agreed to enhance cooperation on security and facilitate travel for Pakistani Shia pilgrims to Najaf and Karbala.
The two officials discussed measures to ensure the smoother movement of these pilgrims and their compliance with visa regulations.
