ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi highlighted Pakistan’s decision to allow visa-free entry for Saudi citizens during a meeting in Islamabad, said an official statement on Sunday, reaffirming the government’s push for closer bilateral ties and increased Gulf investment in the country.
The minister’s comments came during a meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Al-Malki, amid Pakistan’s efforts to open its doors more widely to investors and tourists from the Gulf.
In July last year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced visa-free entry for businessmen from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries as part of measures to attract investment and stimulate economic activity, while Pakistan was striving to recover from a prolonged financial crisis.
“There is no visa for Saudi citizens for coming to Pakistan,” Naqvi told the Saudi envoy, according to a statement released by the interior ministry. “They can come whenever they want.”
The minister made the remarks while visiting the Saudi embassy in Islamabad, where the two officials discussed bilateral cooperation, ongoing economic and social collaboration and joint efforts to curb illicit activities such as drug trafficking and human smuggling.
Islamabad has also been worried about the trend of some Pakistani nationals abusing visas to beg in foreign countries, fearing this could impact genuine visa-seekers, particularly religious pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia.
“The noose has been tightened against the beggars’ mafia,” Naqvi said, adding that new conditions are being imposed for obtaining passports to prevent illegal immigration and curb organized begging.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy longstanding diplomatic and cultural ties. More than 2.5 million Pakistanis live and work in the Kingdom, which is the largest source of remittances for the South Asian nation.
The Saudi ambassador reaffirmed Riyadh’s commitment to strengthening relations with Islamabad across various sectors, according to the interior ministry statement.