Islamabad: The government of Pakistan has decided to block the passports of Pakistani citizens imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to sources in the Ministry of Interior, 5,292 Pakistanis are incarcerated in UAE jails on charges of various crimes, and the passports of 4,700 of them have been blocked.
These actions have been taken as part of a crackdown on Pakistanis involved in different crimes. The largest group, 2,470 Pakistanis, have been convicted on drug-related charges, while 100 Pakistanis have lost their passports due to involvement in fraud, deceit, and sexual harassment. Similarly, 704 Pakistanis have had their passports blocked due to theft-related crimes, and 216 others for charges of murder and robbery.
Additionally, the passports of 375 Pakistanis have been blocked for staying illegally in the UAE. UAE authorities provided Pakistan with the details of these crimes, after which the Ministry of Interior took legal action. It is also noteworthy that, in October 2024, the passports of thousands of Pakistanis imprisoned in Saudi Arabian jails were also blocked
