Over 10,000 Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabia: Ishaq Dar

The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that approximately half of the 20,000 Pakistani nationals currently detained in overseas jails are held in Saudi Arabia for various crimes.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, revealed during the question break that a total of 10,279 Pakistanis are imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. The figure is part of a larger total of 19,997 Pakistani nationals detained in foreign jails, according to data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Dar provided details of the repatriation process for prisoners, stating that emergency travel documents are issued to those whose passports have expired upon the completion of their sentences. He also clarified that the Pakistani community helps pay the fines for prisoners who have served their time.

“There is no obstacle in the repatriation of prisoners to Pakistan,” Dar assured, adding that Saudi Arabia had agreed to transfer 570 prisoners back to Pakistan under a bilateral agreement.

According to the latest figures obtained from 88 Pakistani diplomatic missions worldwide, a total of 68 Pakistanis are on death row across 10 countries, facing charges including terrorism, murder, and drug trafficking. The data also highlighted the major charges faced by Pakistanis abroad, such as illegal immigration, drug possession, murder, human trafficking, and various forms of assault.

While Saudi Arabia holds the largest share of imprisoned Pakistanis, other countries with significant numbers include the UAE (5,292), Greece (598), and Oman (578). Additional details provided by Dar show a breakdown of detained nationals in other countries, including Malaysia, Turkiye, and the UK, with many facing serious charges ranging from fraud and money laundering to espionage and smuggling.