ISLAMABAD: Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said on Tuesday Pakistan hoped the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would review travel restrictions on Pakistanis given that the nation’s coronavirus infection numbers showed a consistent downward trend.
Restrictions were imposed on travelers from four countries, including Pakistan, on May 12 and have remained in place since. Pakistan on Tuesday reported its lowest daily rise in new infections since October 25, with 735 cases.
“We hope that given the improved COVID-19 situation in Pakistan, the UAE authorities will review their COVID related restrictions on travelers from Pakistan,” Chaudhri told Arab News, saying Pakistan was in constant contact with UAE authorities on the issue. “Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi has also raised the issue with the Emirati counterpart in their recent interactions.”
UAE is Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the Middle East and home to more than 1.6 million Pakistanis, the second largest Pakistani expatriate community abroad after Saudi Arabia.
Based on a steady drop in infection numbers, Pakistan on Monday decided to lift nearly all coronavirus lockdown restrictions from July 1. It has so far fully or partially vaccinated almost 12 million people, mostly with the Chinese Sinopharm or Sinovac jabs.
