The reported deportation of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates sparked a heated debate in the Senate on Thursday, with opposition lawmakers warning that large-scale expulsions could negatively impact Pakistan’s economy. However, the government rejected claims that Pakistanis were being specifically targeted and said verified figures would be presented before parliament after consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, the government rejected claims that Pakistanis were being specifically targeted and said verified figures would be presented before parliament after consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The issue was raised during a Senate session by Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas along with Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri and Senator Azam Khan Swati through a calling attention notice.

Raja Nasir Abbas expressed concern over the reported deportations and urged the government to immediately engage diplomatically with the UAE and provide legal support to affected Pakistani workers.

He claimed that around 2,000 Pakistanis had reportedly been deported and said many affected individuals were facing difficulties accessing their bank accounts and financial assets.

The opposition leader further stated that those impacted included residents from Kurram and southern Punjab. He also claimed that nearly 164,000 Pakistanis had been deported from the UAE and warned that such expulsions could hurt Pakistan’s economy during a period of high inflation.

Responding in the Senate, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said there was no evidence suggesting that Pakistani nationals were being singled out in the UAE. He stated that Pakistan and the UAE shared longstanding bilateral relations and noted that more than two million Pakistanis were living in the Gulf country, making them the second-largest foreign community there.

According to the minister, available reports indicated that 3,494 individuals had been deported so far. Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said some deportations were linked to illegal residency or alleged involvement in criminal activities, while others were related to employment losses caused by economic conditions abroad.

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