By Staff Reporter
KARACHI: Pakistan’s passport ranks among the weakest globally, granting its citizens visa-free access to only 32 destinations, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.
Positioned at 96th out of 199 passports, Pakistan has seen a marginal improvement from last year’s tie with Yemen for fourth-worst, yet it remains a symbol of restricted travel freedom. Pakistan still outranks only a handful of conflict-ravaged nations: Somalia, Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, which anchors the list.
The Henley Passport Index, a widely respected measure of travel freedom, evaluates passports by tallying the number of countries their holders can enter without a prior visa. It factors in visa-free entry, visas on arrival, and electronic travel authorizations, awarding a point for each accessible destination and zero where pre-approval is needed.
At the top, Singapore reigns supreme, followed closely by Japan and South Korea, which share second place. Seven European Union nations, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, tie for third, while another seven European countries, including Austria, Belgium, and Sweden, hold fourth alongside Greece, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
For Pakistanis, the 96th ranking highlights stark travel constraints, especially compared to regional peers. India has jumped eight spots in six months, from 85th to 77th, while China has surged 34 places over the past decade, rising from 94th to 60th, though its citizens still can’t enter Europe’s Schengen Area visa-free.
The United Arab Emirates stands out as a regional success story, vaulting 34 positions since 2015 from 42nd to 8th, joining the elite top 10. Saudi Arabia, too, has gained ground, its growing diplomatic clout translating into expanded visa-free access.
The rankings reflect broader trends in global influence. The United Kingdom and United States, which boasted the world’s most powerful passports in 2015 and 2014, respectively, have slid to sixth and tenth places, their declines steady over the years. Meanwhile, nations forging stronger international ties are seeing their citizens reap the rewards of greater mobility.
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