Nearly 3,500 Pakistanis Deported from UAE in 2026, Senate Informed

WEB DESK: Around 3,500 Pakistani nationals were deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the first four months of this year, the Senate has heard.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry shared the figures in the upper house on Thursday, while firmly downplaying concerns that Pakistani citizens are being systematically targeted by authorities in the Gulf state, according to Dawn News.

Responding to a calling attention notice raised by opposition leader Raja Nasir Abbas, alongside senators Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Azam Swati, the minister clarified that the deportations were the result of individual legal infractions rather than a coordinated diplomatic policy against Pakistanis.

Criminal offences and administrative actions

Providing a breakdown of the situation, Mr Chaudhry informed lawmakers that exactly 3,494 Pakistanis had been sent home between January and April.

He explained that those expelled included individuals convicted in various criminal cases, alongside others who were repatriated following standard administrative procedures enacted by the Emirati authorities.

The minister emphasised that the UAE, like any sovereign nation, strictly enforces its domestic laws and visa regulations. He maintained that any foreign national found violating these codes faces similar legal consequences, irrespective of their country of origin.

De-escalating targeted visa anxieties

Addressing anxieties regarding potential discrimination against Pakistani workers in the region, the minister stated there was no concrete evidence to suggest that Islamabad’s citizens are being singled out.

The assurance comes amidst ongoing concerns among the Pakistani diaspora regarding shifting visa policies and stricter immigration enforcement in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

Mr Chaudhry reiterated that Pakistan continues to share deep-rooted economic and diplomatic ties with the UAE.

He assured the upper house that the government remains actively engaged with Emirati officials to protect the welfare of overseas Pakistanis, while simultaneously encouraging citizens abroad to strictly adhere to local laws.