ISLAMABAD — The upper house of parliament has formally referred the sensitive issue of thousands of Pakistani nationals being deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs. The institutional directive followed an intense calling attention notice raised by opposition lawmakers who claimed that citizens are facing forced expulsions and systemic asset freezes in the Gulf state. Presiding over the sitting, Senator Sherry Rehman classified the diplomatic friction as highly sensitive, recommending that the upcoming parliamentary committee probe be conducted during an in-camera session. While the treasury benches downplayed allegations of targeted victimization, opposition members presented lists indicating that a substantial number of laborers have been unceremoniously jailed or sent home.
More than 164,000 Pakistanis were deported from Gulf countries over the past 5 years, with Saudi Arabia alone accounting for over 108,000 cases, official figures shared in the National Assembly show. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/tM18uOI6gh
— ProPakistani (@ProPakistaniPK) May 21, 2026
Key Highlights
- The Senate referred the UAE deportation crisis to its foreign affairs standing committee.
- Official data revealed that 3,494 Pakistani nationals were deported from January to April.
- Opposition leaders claimed deported citizens were forced to leave behind local bank assets.
- The government described viral social media reports of targeted victimization as malicious propaganda.
- Ministers noted the administrative deportations followed a shaky regional US-Iran security conflict.
The UAE was next with 40,497 deportations, followed by Oman with 9,814. Qatar reported 2,971 cases and Bahrain 2,779 during the same period.
— ProPakistani (@ProPakistaniPK) May 21, 2026
Government Rejects Discrimination Claims Citing Sovereign Security Rules
Defending the state’s diplomatic standing, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed the house that over two million Pakistanis continue to reside and work peacefully across the UAE. He presented official state metrics showing that exactly 3,494 nationals were repatriated during the first four months of the year, attributing the actions to standard administrative measures and criminal violations rather than any discriminatory policy. Chaudhry emphasized that the UAE remains a sovereign nation with strict internal legal frameworks, which were tightened globally following recent geopolitical tensions stemming from the US-Iran conflict. The government insisted that linking these standard immigration enforcement actions to targeted state bias constitutes malicious external propaganda aimed at straining fraternal ties.
Conversely, Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas fiercely contested the minister’s stance, arguing that hundreds of hard-working expatriates have had their legitimate bank accounts locked and properties abandoned overnight. He claimed to possess documented evidence of at least 2,000 workers who were forcibly expelled without due process, urging the Senate to demand immediate consular protection from the foreign office. Amid the diplomatic debate, opposition lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also staged loud protests inside the hall, condemning the government for restricting high-profile political visitations and imposing strict highway blocks on provincial leadership entering the federal capital. The newly mandated Senate committee is expected to summon foreign office officials next week to verify the true scope of the expatriate crisis.
