Have you ever wondered why after three years, Pakistani Passport still ranks the 4th worst in the world?
According to the London based advisory firm, Henley and Partners, Pakistan’s passport was placed as one of the worst earlier this year. Henley and Partners is a London-based investment consultancy, The business also offers government advice on citizenship and residency policies and collaborates with them to develop and execute citizenship and residency programmes. It arguably launched the contemporary ”citizenship planning industry.” reported by The Guardian. The company, run by Christian Kalin, is said to be the biggest investment migration consultancy in the world as of 2020.
The Henley Passport Index, primarily uses data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to rate 199 passports all around the world and it is updated frequently to take account of modifications to visa regulations. Throughout tune, the typical number of countries for travelers and tourists without a visa has increased from 58 to 109 in 2006.
According to The News International, a Pakistani’s Passport can only permit visa- free access to 35 countries with an on- arrival visa option up until January of this year; the number has since dropped to 33 countries.
National passports are evaluated based on how many nations their holders can enter without a visa. As a result, the ranking of Pakistani passports takes into account the number of nations that don’t require visas for holders of that passport. Visa-free nations are those into which one may enter with a visa on arrival or electronic travel authorisation.
The major objective of a nation’s visa-free policy towards citizens of other nations is to advance tourism. They want other citizens to visit their nation, spend some money, boost their economy, and then leave for their home nations.
Factors Contributing to Pakistani Passport being One of the Worst
The primary factor making the Pakistani passport one of the worst is their propensity for overstaying. The majority of Pakistanis intend to remain longer than necessary in the nation they are visiting and make some money there. The ministry of Hajj in Saudi Arabia records that Pakistanis top the list of overstayers in Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan’s connection to terrorism is a significant factor in why their passport ranks so poorly. Despite her serene environment Pakistan is somehow connected to a large number of terrorist acts that have occurred all over the world.
The ineffective political system in Pakistan is another factor contributing to the weak Pakistani passport. They do not take the initiative to actively sign multilateral agreements with other countries to host each other’s tourists.
Another reason why Pakistani Passport is ranked fourth worst globally is because of the poverty rate in Pakistan. Pakistan is presently below the poverty line even though some Pakistanis are rich.
Pakistan maintained its ranking as the fourth worst passport in the world in 2020, according to a survey by Henley and Partners, and it was closer to Somalia in terms of ranking because of this, GenZs erupted on the internet. In addition, they are of the opinion that Pakistan’s low rating is due to the fact that the country is the scene of numerous major terrorist attacks and serves as a focal point for terror outfits.
Singapore’s citizens can now visit 192 of the world’s 227 tourist destinations without a visa, making it the most powerful passport in the world.
For the first time in five years, Japan has dropped to third place on the Henley Passport Index from first. Spain, Italy, and Germany all rise to second place with visa-free travel to 190 countries.
In the passport index 2023, Only Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan have better travel documentation than Pakistan.With each passport providing access to 190 locations, Germany, Italy, and Spain tied for second position.Japan, which held the top slot in 2022 but is now ranked third, took that position. It is ranked alongside Austria, Finland, France, Luxembourg, South Korea, and Sweden, whose passports all grant holders visa-free travel to 189 locations.The US has fallen the most in the Top 10 countries’ rankings during the past ten years, falling from second to eighth.
After a six-year slump, the UK appears to have finally turned the round after moving up two spots to fourth in the most recent survey.
Before renewing or applying for a visa online, one must know the requirements of the country and also how globally ranked it is.