ISLAMABAD:
The Interior Ministry on Friday rejected reports of “targeted deportations” of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates, describing such claims as “mala fide” and part of an “evil propaganda” campaign.
Some social media accounts had claimed that around 1,200 Pakistanis had been deported from the UAE.
A report published by The New York Times claimed that the United Arab Emirates had begun a large-scale deportation of Pakistani workers.
The report said it interviewed 20 Pakistani Shiites, including eight businessmen based in the Emirates, who claimed their Pakistani employees had been deported in recent weeks.
According to the report, the deportations came amid “perceived Emirati displeasure over Pakistan’s response to Iranian attacks” on the Gulf state as Islamabad attempted to broker a peace deal between the US and Iran.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Home Office said it had reviewed the relevant details and data and found the reports fabricated and misleading. “No country- or sect-specific deportations from any country, including the United Arab Emirates, are carried out,” the statement said.
The ministry clarified that deportations, where they occurred, were part of a routine process carried out in accordance with the host country’s rules and legal system, including cases involving violations of laws, trespassing or illegal documentation.
It further stated that Pakistani nationals who met the host countries’ visa and work-related requirements continued to travel to and obtain employment visas for the UAE and other friendly countries “without prejudice”. The ministry said the “fake news” and social media posts suggesting otherwise were “malicious and fabricated” and aimed to serve “ulterior motives”.
It added that any matter involving a Pakistani national abroad is dealt with on a case-by-case basis with the relevant country through established FO channels.
