Agencies | Dubai:
The United Arab Emirates has reportedly detained and deported up to fifteen thousand Pakistani workers in what community leaders and former lawmakers are describing as a large-scale crackdown targeting members of the Shia Muslim community.
According to senior Shiite cleric Mohammad Amin Shaheedi, many workers were arrested without formal charges, had their mobile phones confiscated, and were later transferred directly from detention centres to deportation flights bound for Pakistan.
Shaheedi claimed that nearly five thousand Pakistani Shia families have been affected by the expulsions. He alleged that many deportees were sent back without being allowed to withdraw money from their bank accounts or settle financial matters, leaving them with little more than the clothes they were wearing.
Several of the affected workers had reportedly spent decades in the UAE, where migrant labour remains a major pillar of the economy and a vital source of remittances for Pakistan.
The reported deportations come amid growing diplomatic tensions in the region. According to international reports, ties between Pakistan and the UAE have come under strain as Islamabad attempts to mediate between the United States and Iran.
Analysts suggest that the UAE was dissatisfied with Pakistan’s response to recent Iranian attacks on Gulf states and expected stronger diplomatic support from Islamabad.
So far, UAE authorities have not issued any official statement regarding the allegations or the reported deportations.
The developments have raised concerns among migrant communities and human rights observers, particularly over the lack of transparency and due process in the reported actions.
