UAE to open visa centre in Karachi in Sept.

• Position: United Arab emirates consulate in Karachi, Pakistan

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador Hamad Obaid Alzaabi has revealed that the UAE Consulate will open a visa centre in Karachi, which will become operational in the first week of September this year.

Another visa centre in Islamabad would also become functional in the first week of October and would provide all facilities in Pakistan, he said. Speaking at a meeting during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Friday, the UAE envoy said, "Everything will be including medical insurance, check-ups, contracts, etc to facilitate visa issuance from the visa centre in Karachi, which will be the biggest visa centre of Asia." The entire team for the centre would come from the UAE, he said.

The ambassador said relations between Pakistan and the UAE had always been very strong but there was a need to further build the ties by exploring opportunities and potential areas for enhancing trade and investment. "Governments of the UAE and Pakistan are working very hard to narrow the gap, find opportunities and tap the potential for trade and investment," he added. "We are trying to find new areas of cooperation where we can work together and are also examining the challenges so...