The colour green

Pakistanis already face immense difficulties in travel to other countries. The fact that visas are increasingly hard to acquire explains the number of illegal immigrants who leave the country each year while the weak Pakistani passport is also a hurdle for businessmen, students, tourists or those travelling for other purposes.

Recent news then is not good. The Henley Passport Index, which ranks world passports annually on the basis of the number of destinations their holders can access without a visa obtained in advance, has placed Pakistan on the 104th place. This makes the Pakistan passport the fourth weakest document in the world. Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are positioned below it while the country shares the fourth place with Somalia. It is true Pakistani passport holders still have visa-free access to 32 countries. However, this compares poorly to the 191 destinations Japanese passport holders can visit without visas or the 190 destinations those with a Singapore passport are able to access. South Korea and most European countries also fare well on the list. The Yemeni passport is the least powerful in the world.

The index is significant in that it highlights the isolation Pakistan confronts. Into the 1970s the Pakistani passport allowed far freer travel to a multitude of nations. The shrinking of these numbers means not only difficulty for individuals but also a negative impact on Pakistan’s global image. The problem also has economic repercussions with business and trade affected by the low standing of the Pakistani passport. The years during which Pakistan was seen as a focal point for terrorism, notably after 2001, are a key factor in the reduced strength of Pakistan’s passport. The reputation of the country as a place where passport forgery was commonplace has been removed by new digital scanning systems and proper checks on the issuance of passports. However, despite this, Pakistan still has a long way to go. The weakness of its passport means its citizens are among those who face the largest number of challenges in travel overseas. All other South Asian countries stand well ahead of Pakistan and this is a matter that needs to be taken up by the government and the Foreign Office when devising policies. Pakistan recently eased visa restrictions for the nationals of many countries in order to promote tourism. These nations have not responded on reciprocal terms, keeping the visa requirements in place for Pakistanis. More efforts to improve Pakistan’s image are required to lift Pakistan’s passport off the very bottom of the Henley index and other lists.