ISLAMABAD:
In a major move to strengthen bilateral ties and address labor shortages, the Kuwaiti government has officially resumed the issuance of various visas to Pakistani citizens, multiple Gulf region media outlets reported on Monday.
UAE-based Gulf News quoted Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Dr. Zaffar Iqbal, who announced plans to bring 1,200 Pakistani nurses to Kuwait’s healthcare sector, with the first group of 125 nurses already arriving in the Gulf state last week.
Kuwait had suspended issuing visas to nationals of Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and Afghanistan in 2011 due to security concerns. However, the Gulf nation has now reopened work, family, visit, tourist, and commercial visas for Pakistani passport holders.
A spokesperson for Pakistan’s Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis welcomed the decision, noting that the lifting of the visa ban would create employment, trade, and tourism opportunities for thousands of Pakistanis in Kuwait. The move is also expected to boost Pakistan’s foreign exchange earnings.
Kuwait-based Arab Times reported that Ambassador Iqbal confirmed Pakistani citizens have already started receiving visa approvals this month, re-establishing a crucial channel for travel and employment.
In an interview with Arab News, Ambassador Iqbal shared that Pakistan and Kuwait are in the final stages of signing a new labor memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance worker mobility and cooperation. “Some of the provisions are already being implemented even before the MoU’s formal signing,” he added.
