There was a time when a country’s strength was measured by its military, economy, and natural resources. Today, however, a nation’s power is also reflected in the strength of its passport. It indicates how effective its diplomacy is, how much trust the world places in it, and how much freedom its citizens enjoy in international travel. Hence a passport is no longer merely a travel document. It has become a symbol of a country’s international reputation, diplomatic relations, economic stability, internal security, and global credibility. The strength of a passport is measured by the number of countries its holders can visit without a visa or by obtaining a visa on arrival.
Recently Henley & Partners publishes the annual Global Passport Index. The organization recently released its latest passport rankings, according to which Singapore once again holds the world’s most powerful passport, while Pakistan ranks 100. According to the rankings, Singaporean passport holders can travel to 192 countries visa-free or with visa-on-arrival access. United Arab Emirates, Japan, and South Korea jointly occupy second place, offering access to 188 destinations. Sweden ranks third with visa-free access to 187 countries. Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, and Spain share fourth place, while Greece, Austria, Malta, Portugal, and Switzerland rank fifth. United States passport, which was once considered among the world’s strongest, has fallen to tenth place.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s passport continues to rank among the weakest in the world. In the latest rankings, Green Passport stands at 100th place, with its holders enjoying visa-free or simplified travel access to only 30 countries. Below Pakistan are only Iraq (101st), Syria (102nd), and Afghanistan (103rd). Other countries near the bottom include Yemen, Somalia, Nepal, North Korea, Bangladesh, Palestine, Iran, Eritrea, Sri Lanka, and Libya. Following Pakistan’s impressive victory over India in “Maarka-e-Haq” and its reported role as a mediator in the recent U.S.-Iran understanding reached in Switzerland, many had expected these developments to positively influence the standing of the Green Passport. However, the latest Henley Passport Index has disappointed those expectations.
There are several reasons behind Pakistan’s declining passport ranking. The foremost is the country’s economic challenges. When a nation’s economy is weak, other countries often fear that its citizens may seek permanent migration, overstay their visas, or pursue unauthorized employment, leading them to adopt stricter visa policies. Although Pakistan has achieved significant success against terrorism in recent years and the country’s law-and-order situation has improved considerably, some longstanding international perceptions have yet to fully change.
Another major factor behind the decline of the Green Passport is illegal immigration and human smuggling. In recent years, the unauthorized migration of Pakistani citizens to Europe, the Middle East, and other regions has prompted many countries to tighten visa requirements for Pakistani nationals. There is an urgent need to dismantle human smuggling networks through effective enforcement in order to improve Pakistan’s international image. Diplomatic relations also play a fundamental role in determining the strength of a passport. Countries that maintain strong bilateral relations with others are generally able to negotiate reciprocal visa facilitation agreements more easily.
The continued decline of the Green Passport is undoubtedly a matter of concern. However, if Pakistan adopts a more proactive foreign policy, focuses on economic reforms, creates a favorable environment for investment, promotes tourism, actively participates in international agreements, and negotiates visa facilitation arrangements with more countries, the day may not be far when the Green Passport is counted among the world’s respected and influential passports, enabling Pakistani citizens to travel across the globe with greater dignity, convenience, and trust.
