Will Shabana Mahmood’s visa threat impact Pakistan?

LONDON:  Shabana Mahmood, Britain’s newly appointed Muslim Home Secretary, is facing criticism over her announcement to suspend visas for countries, including Pakistan, that refuse to take back failed asylum seekers.

Mahmood, whose family roots are in Pakistan, has been accused by critics of targeting the very countries that supply the UK with doctors, nurses, students and workers.

Observers say her policy, if enforced, could hurt Pakistan and other developing nations,  but would damage Britain even more, according to The Independent.

British readers highlighted the irony of a Muslim politician, herself the daughter of immigrants, pushing policies that could restrict opportunities for people from South Asia and Africa.

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“Pakistanis are among the largest communities in Britain. Cutting student and work visas would not only affect us, but also weaken the NHS which relies on Pakistani and Indian doctors and nurses,” noted one British-Pakistani analyst.

Analysts also warned that while such restrictions might pressure smaller, aid-dependent nations, they are unlikely to work against countries like Pakistan, India, or Bangladesh, which have strong diaspora communities and provide essential manpower to the UK economy.

For Pakistan, the stakes are high. The country sends thousands of students and health workers to Britain every year. Remittances from the Pakistani diaspora play a crucial role in stabilising the national economy. Any suspension of visas would directly impact families relying on this financial support.

Critics in the UK called the move “self-inflicted punishment,” noting that by limiting skilled migrants from Muslim and South Asian countries, Britain would be jeopardising its own healthcare and education systems.