Pakistan Passport: World's Fourth Worst Again

The Pakistani passport has continued remain the fourth worst globally, according to the latest Henley Passport Index.

In the latest ranking released on Tuesday, Pakistan's passport shares the 100th spot with Yemen, granting visa-free access to 33 countries. This places it ahead of only Iraq (101), Syria (102), and Afghanistan (103), maintaining the same ranking as the previous year.

"Afghanistan remains firmly entrenched as the world's weakest passport, losing access to yet another destination over the past six months, leaving its citizens with access to only 26 countries visa-free -- the lowest score ever recorded in history of the 19-year-old index," a press release stated. Based on the number of destinations their holders can access without prior visa requirements, The index ranks the travel documents of 199 countries.

Singapore has once again claimed the top spot, with its passport granting visa-free access to a record 195 destinations. In a close second place are Germany, Italy, Japan, France, and Spain, each offering access to 192 countries.

In third place are Austria, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Sweden, with visa-free access to 191 destinations.

The United Kingdom shares the fourth position with Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland, all allowing travel to 190 states. The United States ranks eighth, providing access to 186 destinations.

A notable newcomer to the top 10 is the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which has made a significant leap. The UAE now offers visa-free access to 185 destinations, a remarkable increase of 152 since the index began in 2006, boosting its rank from 62nd to 9th.

Henley & Partners CEO Juerg Steffen attributed the UAE's "meteoric ascent" to "deliberate and concerted efforts by the Emirati government to position the UAE as a global hub for business, tourism, and investment."