ISLAMABAD, May 21 (APP):Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday 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, …
No evidence of Pakistanis being specifically targeted in UAE: Senate told
ISLAMABAD, May 21 (APP):Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Thursday 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.
He said that Pakistan and the UAE enjoyed excellent longstanding relations, adding that the UAE, being a sovereign and independent country, had taken certain administrative measures following the Iran-US conflict.
According to available data, around 3,494 Pakistanis were deported from the UAE between January and April, he said. However, he clarified that the figure included individuals involved in various legal and administrative cases and could not be directly linked to any discriminatory policy against Pakistanis.
The minister said that emergency travel documents were issued by Pakistan’s foreign missions for deported nationals after coordination with UAE authorities, enabling the government to maintain deportation records. He said that many deportees were individuals who had either completed jail terms or committed administrative violations under UAE laws.
Rejecting the reports circulating on social media, he termed claims that Pakistanis were being deliberately targeted in the UAE as “malafide propaganda.” He said that several businesses and companies in the region had also been affected due to the recent Iran-US conflict.
The minister said that the UAE was a sovereign country with its own rules and regulations, adding that Pakistan respected those laws while continuing to facilitate its citizens through diplomatic channels. He said that Pakistan’s mission in the UAE was actively assisting nationals through consular access, legal facilitation and issuance of travel documents where required.
Later, the Chair referred the matter to the relevant committee for further deliberation.
Meanwhile, responding to a point of order, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary said that the Punjab government had taken comprehensive action against dacoits in the katcha areas and that no-go areas no longer existed in the province. He said that the provincial government had also announced a development package for those areas.
