More than 21,000 Pakistanis have been deported from Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia accounting for the largest share, according to a written response submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control to the National Assembly.
The response, provided during Question Hour on Thursday, said 4,628 Pakistanis were deported as absconders, while 1,294 were jailed and 968 were blacklisted.
Another 1,155 cases involved lost passports, while 689 Pakistanis were deported over visa violations and 342 were denied entry into Gulf states.
Saudi Arabia deported around 15,500 Pakistanis, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 3,803, Oman with 1,606, Bahrain with 521, Qatar with 429 and Kuwait with 97.
A further 6,662 Pakistanis were listed under the “Others” category, although the ministry did not specify the offences involved. The Gulf states also deported 472 Pakistani beggars.
The response said nine Pakistanis were deported from the UAE through Interpol, while others were expelled over immigration violations, expired iqamas or passports, impersonation, theft and other offences.
Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deportations of absconders at 3,921, followed by the UAE with 636. The kingdom also deported 1,924 Pakistanis over illegal entry or overstaying, while the UAE and Oman deported 347 and 295 people respectively for similar violations.
