(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) As revellers from all over the world descend upon Dubai to ring in the New Year, a viral notice sparked a rumour in Pakistan that UAE had suspended issuing visit visas to Pakistanis as around 300,000 of them were already in Dubai on visit visas.
Earlieron Wednesday, according to a notice issued by Naeem Sharif, Chairman, Travel Agents Association Pakistan (TAAP), the UAE General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) has issued a notification suspending issuance of UAE visas for Pakistanis.
A local media report (GEO TV) on the suspension soon went viral, putting many Pakistani travellers in a fix, who were planning to travel to UAE for the New Year.
Until Wednesday, no particular detail has been provided for the visa rejection, Pakistani media said.
Sharif said that this was a temporary arrangement, adding that he believes the service would resume from the start of the New Year, the report added.
He said that the visa restrictions had been imposed for Pakistanis only.
However, talking to Khaleej Times, a GDRFA official said " to enter Dubai after obtaining a visa".
"The situation is normal," the official added.
Visas being issued after technical glitch As the Khaleej Times report -- quashing the rumours -- was widely reported in Pakistan, the TAAP chairman told that UAE had resumed issuing tourist visas for Pakistani nationals, claiming that earlier visas were not being issued due to a technical glitch in Pakistan.
Talking to this reporter, a travel agency in Pakistan confirmed Sharif's claim, adding that, however, applications were yet to be processed after the technical issue was resolved.
The issue sparked a debate in Pakistan with many claiming that their visa has not been processed while others rubbished the 'suspended' rumours claiming that while the process was slow, visas were being processed.
UAE is home to around one million Pakistani expats, and Pakistanis are among the top visitors to the country.
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