MQM-P leader Faisal Sabzwari stopped from travelling to Dubai

MQM-P leader and Senator Faisal Sabzwari was stopped from travelling to Dubai on Friday reportedly due to issues related to travel documentation and visa clearance.

According to media reports, Faisal Sabzwari arrived at Jinnah International Airport at around 2:30pm to board a flight from Karachi to Dubai. However, airline staff reportedly refused to issue a boarding card, citing the absence of visa clearance.

As a result, the senator returned home later in the evening.

Speaking to a private TV channel, Sabzwari said that holders of official passports are not required to obtain a visit visa under an agreement reached between the governments of Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates last year.

He stated that he had previously travelled to Dubai under the same policy in January and was again planning a short two-day visit. However, upon reaching the airport, airline officials informed him that although a visa was not required, approval from authorities in Abu Dhabi was necessary under a new procedure.

Sabzwari said delays in the system later resulted in refusal of permission from Abu Dhabi authorities.

The MQM-P leader added that senior officials at Pakistan’s Foreign Office had been informed about the matter. He also mentioned that he was travelling light, but the unloading of his family’s baggage caused additional delay before leaving the airport.