ISLAMABAD:
The deportation of Pakistani citizens from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sparked a heated debate in the Senate on Thursday as the opposition warned of the serious economic consequences of the event.
However, the government questioned the magnitude of the figures and promised that a verified date would be presented to parliament.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the Senate that there was no evidence to suggest Pakistanis were being targeted specifically in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and said the reported deportations were part of administrative actions taken by UAE authorities.
Responding to a clarion call raised by Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas, Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Senator Azam Khan Swati, the minister said Pakistan and the UAE shared long-standing brotherly relations and the Pakistani community, comprising over two million people, was the second largest foreign community residing there.
The issue was raised by Senate Opposition Leader 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 the affected Pakistani workers.
Raja Nasir Abbas said around 2,000 people had reportedly been deported from the UAE, adding that their bank accounts and financial assets had become stagnant or inaccessible.
He further said that among those affected were citizens of Kurram Agency and southern Punjab.
He said nearly 164,000 Pakistanis had been deported from the United Arab Emirates and warned that large-scale expulsions would directly damage Pakistan’s economy at a time of high inflation.
He urged the government to immediately begin diplomatic negotiations with the UAE to address the issue and provide support to affected citizens.
Furthermore, he stressed that the government must take immediate steps to resolve the difficulties faced by deported Pakistanis.
Responding in the House, Federal Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said the government would present complete and verified figures in Parliament after receiving detailed data from the Ministry of External Affairs.
He said Pakistan and the UAE enjoy strong bilateral relations.
He informed lawmakers that 3,494 people had reportedly been deported, adding that Pakistanis with valid visas were legally employed in the UAE.
The minister said that in cases of illegal residence, UAE authorities inform Pakistani embassies and that some deportations were linked to involvement in criminal activities.
He added that economic conditions had also forced some Pakistani workers to lose jobs abroad.
Tariq Fazal Chaudhry further said that sometimes things are exaggerated on social media, leading to unnecessary public concern.
He also informed the House that according to the information available on broader regional developments, four Pakistanis were killed and 27 injured in the Iran-US conflict situation.
