Designer Zara Shahjahan landed in a social media storm on Friday when her tweet about a recent survey that ranked Pakistani passport as the fourth worst in the world, went viral.
Her take divided social media with most agreeing with her, while others saying she was unaware of the privilege and wealth she had, easing most travel hurdles
She had written:
“This shows nothing. I’ve travelled he world with my Pakistani passport and would never give it up for any other. This is a lie.”
This shows nothing. I’ve travelled he world with my Pakistani passport and would never give it up for any other. This is a lie https://t.co/Pd4OeCpRks
— zara shahjahan (@ZaraShahjahan) July 21, 2023
Some people agreed with the fashion designer, saying that they never had a problem in travelling abroad with the Pakistani passport.
Finally someone said this. I have the same experience & never faced any such thing. People throwing away PP & sharing images as they have received of some other country shows how weak they are.
— Shaheryar Hassan (@shaheryarhassan) July 21, 2023
Same here.
— RYK TIMES (@RYKTimes) July 22, 2023
You're absolutely right.
When you have a good reason for visiting a country, no passport can prevent you from getting a visa.I believe that it is based on the individual, or more accurately, on the application.
While others called her out for what they said was an elitist take, sharing their own experiences of difficulty in getting visas.
One user wrote: “I got my visa after a whole damn year to come to Australia. I applied in 2015 and made it there in 2017. The problem was, that I had a full scholarship and not a lot of my own funds to show. See, if you’ve got a lot of $$$ in the bank, visas can come as easy as this stupid take.”
This is an elitist take. Note that you've to establish strong ties in PK to get the visa, & for that you have show really strong financial statement+proof of assets. So I'm sure you & many other frequent travellers for leisure have that, but most don't, hence countless rejections https://t.co/8nYL3MIYIu
— Hija Kamran (@hijakamran) July 21, 2023