Over 21,000 Pakistanis imprisoned abroad; FM tells NA

WEB DESK: More than 21,600 Pakistani citizens are currently imprisoned in jails around the world, according to a written response submitted to the National Assembly (NA) by Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar. The minister revealed that 21,647 Pakistanis are incarcerated overseas on charges ranging from immigration violations to serious criminal offences.

India holds 738 Pakistani nationals, yet authorities there have provided no information on the nature of the charges, Dar said.

Saudi Arabia has the highest number, with 10,745 Pakistanis jailed for various offences. Some have been convicted while many are still undergoing trial, the minister noted.

In the United Arab Emirates, 5,297 Pakistanis are in detention, though details of their alleged crimes have not been shared. China is holding 652 Pakistani citizens, most of whom are accused of drug trafficking, using counterfeit currency, fraud, or illegal immigration.

It was also revealed that 599 Pakistanis are imprisoned in Qatar and 578 in Oman, while 444 are jailed in Malaysia and 353 in Italy. In Bahrain, 218 Pakistani nationals are incarcerated, followed by 190 in Türkiye. The United States currently holds 141 Pakistanis in various cases, and 91 are imprisoned in Afghanistan.