Pakistan announces visa-free entry for businessmen from Gulf countries
29 July 2024
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday announced visa-free entry into Pakistan for businessmen from Gulf nations, amid a push for trade and investment in the South Asian country.
Pakistan has faced a prolonged economic crisis that led the country to seek financial assistance from friendly nations and global lenders like the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Islamabad and the IMF this month agreed on a $7 billion loan deal to strengthen macroeconomic gains made over the last year, during which Pakistan bolstered its forex reserves and brought down inflation from 38 percent to a little over 12 percent.
In a statement issued from his office, Sharif said the government was making it easy and convenient for foreign investors, business community and tourists to obtain Pakistani visas.
“Visa-free entry into Pakistan for businessmen from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been approved, due to which investment and business opportunities in Pakistan from the Gulf countries will increase further,” he said in a statement.
In recent months, Sharif’s government has actively pursued economic diplomacy in the region by seeking more investment and enhancing trade and regional connectivity. This week, it announced free visas for 126 countries.
“With the decision to relax the visa policy, Pakistan will become an attractive destination for foreign nationals in terms of business and tourism,” the prime minister said further.
“A separate sub-category has also been approved for visa-on-arrival facility for Sikh pilgrims holding passports of third countries.”
Sharif noted that Pakistan had sacred places of many religions, and Gilgit-Baltistan and other northern areas of the country were a major attraction for tourists from all over the world.
He said a “dashboard” would be established in the Ministry of Interior for the implementation of the new visa regime, which would monitor visa-free entry, business visa list and tourist visas on arrival.
