The Emirati community with close association with the UAE government rejected all allegations regarding a planned eviction of Pakistanis on Wednesday, dismissing the entire notion of religious persecution as stated by various media outlets both locally and internationally, stating that Pakistani nationals were systematically forced out of the UAE based on ethnicity, religion, or nationality.
These denials were made by the social media analysts of the United Arab Emirates, not the UAE government itself an important factor in view of the massive uproar created by the news in the large Pakistani community residing in the Gulf countries. No statement was yet issued by the UAE government on the allegation of Pakistan’s deportation from the UAE.
What Was Claimed by the Original News Reports and Why They Went Viral
The news regarding the expulsion of people from Pakistan in the UAE was taken to the next level when an international news agency published a news report claiming certain acts committed on Pakistani nationals in the UAE. The news created instant emotional reactions in Pakistani social media forums because the UAE has the largest expatriate Pakistani community of about 1.6 million people.
The Pakistani labor force in the UAE contributes substantial amounts of money in remittances each year to their families in Pakistan, which makes the UAE one of the vital foreign exchange earners for Pakistan. Any move against the residents of Pakistani origin from the UAE would have grave repercussions not only for the economy of Pakistan but also for its bilateral relations with a country whose relations with Pakistan have improved significantly over the last three years.
The sectarian nature of the report – implying that the accusations were against Pakistanis along the religious and/or ethnic lines – intensified emotions, creating alternative stories on social media networks faster than either government could produce an official reaction to the report.
Pakistani Expulsion Rejected by Emirati Analysts for Sectarian Context
There was a unanimous understanding among the Emirati commentators and analysts in their reaction to the UAE news on Pakistani expulsion, and that was that UAE law treats everyone the same regardless of color, race, faith, or religious affiliation. The sectarian angle is thus directly addressed by Emirati analysts in their reaction to the news item.
The analysts claimed that the UAE has created a uniform structure to regulate all expatriate groups functioning in the UAE, and this structure was cited by the interior ministry of Pakistan in its reaction to the issue. This is because, according to the interior ministry, any move to punish a Pakistani individual will be done in terms of the UAE laws, visas, and/or security, and not due to any ethnic or religious policy toward Pakistanis.
This correlation between the messages sent by the Emirati analyst and those received by the interior minister of Pakistan shows that both parties are trying to manage the narrative damage caused by the initial news item, which might eventually become a diplomatic problem for the two countries whose relations are well-established.
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Why There Has Been No Official Response From UAE on This
The major unanswerable issue in the story regarding the expulsion of Pakistanis from UAE is neither the claim nor the statements made by Emirati experts but rather what has not been said by the UAE government till date. There was no official reaction or response from the UAE government until the time of publication.
Such a silence generates a gap which cannot be completely filled by the comments made on social media, regardless of how well-connected the sources of these comments might be. To Pakistani workers living in the UAE who want to know about the status of their stay and the safety it provides, unofficial denials mean much less than an official statement of how things actually stand for them.
The lack of any reply from the official authorities of the UAE cannot be considered evidence for supporting the original reports. Nevertheless, it can be observed that this lack of reply has left some gaps regarding the story of Pakistani expulsions from the UAE in the official documentation – gaps that will create anxiety for the time to come.
What Pakistani Nationals in the UAE Should Do
The Pakistani nationals who are currently living and working in the UAE should ensure that their visa and residency permits are up to date by following the correct UAE government procedures at ICA Smart Services website and Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation website as these websites provide the latest updates on their residency status.
All Pakistani citizens who have been officially contacted by the UAE regarding their visa issues must consult lawyers for professional legal advice and report to the Pakistani consulate in Dubai or Pakistani Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The diplomatic missions of Pakistan located in UAE are specifically designed for the help of Pakistani nationals with immigration and legal issues.
The debate about the expulsion of Pakistani nationals from the UAE highlights the need for all Pakistani workers in the Gulf to ensure that they have valid documentation and are fully compliant with visa and employment regulations in the host country, which is the only defense anyone can maintain against administration despite the circumstances around them.
