ISLAMABAD: Diplomatic efforts by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government have borne fruit, as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has released more than 2,000 Pakistani prisoners who had been languishing in different jails on various charges it was reliably learnt on Monday.
“In the past months, a large number of Pakistanis have been pardoned by the UAE authorities,” an official source in the Foreign Office (FO) confirmed to this scribe. FO sources revealed that Pakistan’s Mission in Dubai has been doing its utmost job to secure the release of remaining incarcerated Pakistani nationals from UAE jails.
Over 5,292 Pakistani nationals were held in various UAE jails as per statistics provided by Foreign Office sources. There are currently over 3,523 prisoners who are still facing jail terms, sources pointed out.
The UAE had expressed reservations over the increasing number of Pakistani nationals involved in criminal activities.
According to the information, the UAE authorities reported that 5,292 Pakistani nationals were arrested late last year and put behind bar. The UAE, latter imposed unannounced visa ban on Pakistanis after a large number of nationals being found involved in drugs business, trafficking, theft, begging, visa expiry, overstay, unlawful residency, procession of psychotropic drugs, property appropriation, attempted theft, trading of alcoholic beverages, robbery on public roads, unauthorised entry into the country, driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol, stealing auto spare parts, theft of electrical wires, intentional homicide and administrative deportation.
According to details, Pakistani citizens were involved in the top 50 crimes in the Emirates. All the arrests were made in 2024.
The Welfare Wing of the Consulate General has committed to addressing the rising trend of crimes and enhancing the image of Pakistani expatriates in the UAE.
Although, Foreign Office of Pakistan on numerous times denied the impression that the UAE has imposed a visa ban on Pakistanis, but sources confirmed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has been in close contact with the UAE authorities to get the travel restrictions abolished.
Experts have urged the government to urgently address the visa ban imposed by the UAE on Pakistani nationals for being involved in different criminal activities.
Resolving the visa ban issue is seen as critical for preserving the strong bilateral relations between Pakistan and the UAE.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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