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| Kuwait lifts visa ban on Pakistani citizens after ''19-year hiatus'' | |
| 2025-05-27 | |
| [GEO.TV] In a major development, Kuwait has lifted its 19-year-long visa ban on Pak citizens, the Ministry of Overseas Paks' Focal Person Mustafa Malik said on Monday. In a statement, the focal person said that the Kuwaiti government had resumed issuing work, family, visit, tourist, and commercial visas to Paks. It will provide thousands of people with opportunities for employment, business, and tourism in Kuwait, Malik added. ''All these visas can be obtained through the online platform,'' the focal person said, adding that the world was opening its doors to skilled Pak workers. He further said that an annual job quota would be allocated for Paks in Italia, adding that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had also been signed with Italia. "Arab countries are also keen to employ skilled workers from Pakistain," the focal person added.
[KhaamaPress] Kuwait has revoked citizenship of over 37,000 people, mostly migrant women, sparking widespread human rights concerns and legal uncertainty. The Kuwaiti government has revoked the citizenship of more than 37,000 people since August 2024, a move that has sparked widespread criticism from human rights groups and regional analysts. The majority of those affected are migrant women who had acquired citizenship through marriage. According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the mass revocation is part of a sweeping “reform initiative” launched by Emir Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah after assuming power in December 2023. Since then, he has dissolved the parliament and suspended parts of the constitution, citing national purification as a goal. In a televised address in March, the Emir vowed to “cleanse Kuwait of impurities” and return the nation to its “original people.” Analysts interpret this as an attempt to restrict citizenship to individuals with documented ancestral ties to the country. Official data indicates that at least 26,000 women have lost citizenship under the new policy, primarily those who had gained it through marriage. The law now cancels all citizenships granted to foreign spouses since 1987, leaving thousands at risk of statelessness and legal limbo. Even high-profile cultural figures have not been spared. Renowned pop singer Nawal El Kuwaitia and actor Dawood Hussein are among those stripped of citizenship, reflecting the policy’s reach beyond migrants to well-known national icons. Observers argue that this strategy signals a more exclusionary definition of national identity under the new leadership. Critics warn that this could deepen social divisions and damage Kuwait’s reputation as a relatively open Gulf state. As the international community watches closely, the question remains whether Kuwait will face pressure to reverse or soften the sweeping policy. The coming months may define the country’s future direction on human rights and inclusivity. | |
| Posted by:Fred |