Govt denies UAE targeting Pakistanis

Senators demand diplomatic talks, relief for workers

ISLAMABAD:

The reported deportation of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) triggered a heated debate in the Senate on Thursday as the opposition warned of severe economic consequences of the development.

However, the government disputed the scale of the figures and promised that a verified date would be presented in the parliament.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the Senate that there was no evidence suggesting that Pakistanis were being specifically targeted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), saying the reported deportations were part of administrative actions taken by UAE authorities.

Responding to a calling attention notice moved by Leader of the Opposition Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Senator Azam Khan Swati, the minister said that Pakistan and the UAE shared longstanding brotherly relations and that the Pakistani community, comprising over two million people, was the second-largest foreign community residing there.

The matter was raised by Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Allama Raja Nasir Abbas, who expressed deep concern over the situation and called for immediate diplomatic engagement with the UAE, along with legal assistance for affected Pakistani workers.

Raja Nasir Abbas said that around 2,000 individuals had reportedly been deported from the UAE, adding that their bank accounts and financial assets had become stuck or inaccessible.

He further said that those affected included citizens from the Kurram Agency and South Punjab.

He said that nearly 164,000 Pakistanis had been deported from the UAE and warned that such large-scale expulsions would directly harm Pakistan's economy at a time of high inflation.

He urged the government to immediately initiate diplomatic negotiations with the UAE to address the issue and provide support to affected citizens.

He further stressed that the government must take immediate steps to resolve the difficulties faced by deported Pakistanis.

Responding in the House, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government would present comprehensive and verified figures in parliament after receiving detailed data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said Pakistan and the UAE enjoy strong bilateral relations.

He informed lawmakers that, according to available reports, 3,494 individuals had been deported, adding that Pakistanis holding valid visas were legally employed in the UAE.

The minister said that in cases involving illegal residency, Pakistani embassies are informed by UAE authorities, and some deportations were linked to involvement in criminal activities.

He added that economic conditions had also forced some Pakistani workers to lose employment abroad.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry further said that sometimes matters are exaggerated on social media, leading to unnecessary public concern.

He also informed the House that, according to available information on wider regional developments, four Pakistanis were killed and 27 were injured in the Iran–US conflict situation.