Islamabad: Pakistan’s passport has been ranked among the weakest passports globally, securing the 101st position in the latest Henley Passport Index. The ranking places Pakistan as the fourth weakest passport in the world, with only Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan ranked lower.

The index assessed 199 passports based on access to 227 travel destinations, considering the number of countries where citizens can travel without a prior visa or with visa-on-arrival facilities.

Pakistan Passport Holders Can Access 29 Destinations

According to the latest rankings, Pakistani passport holders can travel to only 29 destinations with visa-free entry or visa-on-arrival facilities.

The countries with weaker passports than Pakistan are Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan.

Pakistani citizens can travel visa-free to destinations including Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Vanuatu, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Haiti, Cook Islands, Rwanda, Micronesia, Montserrat and The Gambia.

Visa-on-arrival facilities are available in countries such as Mozambique, Cambodia, Madagascar, Guinea-Bissau, Burundi, Senegal, Comoros, Djibouti, Maldives, Sierra Leone, Nepal, Niue, Palau Islands, Samoa, Timor-Leste and Tuvalu.

Pakistan passport holders can also obtain electronic travel authorisations for destinations including Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Kenya.

Visa Restrictions Add to Challenges for Pakistani Travellers

The latest ranking comes amid growing visa-related challenges faced by Pakistani citizens in several countries.

Last year, reports emerged that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had restricted visa issuance for Pakistani citizens. Pakistan’s Additional Interior Secretary Salman Chaudhry informed a Senate committee that visa issuance had been limited, with only diplomatic and blue passport holders receiving approvals at that time.

Officials cited concerns over cases involving criminal activities by some Pakistani nationals abroad as one of the reasons behind tighter visa scrutiny.

Pakistan has also raised visa-related concerns with Gulf countries after reports of increased rejections for Pakistani travellers.

Henley Passport Index Measures Global Travel Access

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports based on the number of destinations their holders can access without obtaining a visa beforehand.

A higher ranking indicates greater global mobility, while lower-ranked passports reflect limited international travel access due to stricter visa requirements.