The United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosts one of the largest expatriate populations from Pakistan but has restricted entry for its citizens on frivolous grounds that is not backed by data when it comes to COVID-19. Similarly, Britain still hasn’t removed Pakistan from its red list despite mounting evidence for lifting travel restrictions. With positivity rate amongst the lowest at this point and a robust vaccination drive supported by COVAX and China, healthcare authorities in Pakistan have done a marvellous job in vaccinating people on a fast-tracked basis. Earlier, the brief private vaccination drive through Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine helped mitigate the worst scenario. But why haven’t the UAE, Britain or even some other countries such as Turkey and Canada lifted the travel ban for most Pakistanis barring dual nationals, diplomats and residence permit holders? Data-wise, Pakistan is steadily progressing and its pandemic fighting strategy has received global accolades despite having an under-developed healthcare system. What isn’t being realised is that a large number of expatriates and visitors on essential private or official work are unable to move around freely owing to some of the most bizarre steps taken by the above mentioned countries. While Dubai city’s government is facilitating silver/golden residence permit holders and transit passengers from India, Nigeria and South Africa via a robust entry policy which can exempt them from quarantine, nothing of such sorts has been announced for Pakistan whose residence permit holders still have to quarantine for 10 days. Not mentioning the fact that transit passengers and blue collar workers from Pakistan are unable to enter the UAE which is beyond anyone’s understanding.Qatar never restricted entry for transit passengers from Pakistan so why did the UAE? The Indian variant of COVID-19 was the main reason for such restrictions but Pakistan remained safe from its transmission despite one or two isolated incidents previously. Reportedly, general entry could possibly be allowed from the second week of July 2021 as per Emirates Airline but that isn’t guaranteed. The UAE placing Pakistan on its restrictions list in May 2021 was certainly undue which requires an immediate reviewal. As goes for Britain and some other countries who need to look at the long-term impact of such hasty decisions that could have been prevented conditional to prior vaccination of Pakistani passengers. It is also suggested that fully vaccinated passengers should be exempted from quarantine measures since the United States has lifted most of its local restrictions recently on similar grounds. Another point to ponder upon is that vaccines should not be politicised for travel purposes as Russia’s Sputnik V must be considered for travel exemptions for the EU, Middle East and North America given its efficacy rate amongst the highest as per the Lancet and available data. *