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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Interior Ministry on Friday denied reports that Pakistani nationals were being specifically targeted for deportation from the United Arab Emirates, saying any removals were part of routine immigration enforcement under UAE law. In an official statement, the ministry said reports circulating in some media outlets and on social media were false and intended to spread misinformation. The ministry said no country-specific or sect-specific deportation campaign was underway in the UAE. It said deportations, where they occur, are linked to violations of local laws, visa overstays or irregular documentation. Pakistani nationals who meet visa and employment requirements continue to travel to the UAE and obtain work visas without discrimination, the statement said. The ministry stated that issues involving Pakistani citizens abroad are handled individually through diplomatic channels. More than 1.8 million Pakistanis live in the UAE. Remittances from the Gulf country totaled about $7.1 billion in fiscal year 2024-25, according to the State Bank of Pakistan. Pakistan and the UAE also maintain close political and economic ties. Official trade data for fiscal year 2024-25 showed bilateral trade exceeded $10.1 billion. Pakistan exported about $1.93 billion worth of goods to the UAE in 2025, according to official figures, including fuels, meat products, cereals and textiles. The UAE also maintains a $2 billion deposit with State Bank of Pakistan, according to central bank data.

Pakistani workers play cricket in an industrial zone in the Gulf emirate of Sharjah, during their day off from work, on September 24, 2022. (AFP)

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan rejects reports that its citizens were being specifically targeted for deportation from the United Arab Emirates, saying removals were tied to immigration violations and legal issues.

Pakistan dismisses claims of 'targeted' deportations of citizens from UAE

ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) repaid a deposit of US $1 billion to Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), UAE, on Thursday (23 April 2026), said a post shared on social media by the central bank of Pakistan on Friday. &ldquo;Deposits of $2.45 billion were repaid last week,&rdquo; the post added.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 321px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2047527895392731603&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=66b7990de9f679b6bccb26449233098d216fd2bf&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>It concluded that the payment on Thursday &ldquo;completes the repayment of total deposits of $3.45 billion to UAE.&rdquo; Earlier at the start of the current month, in an official statement, Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had said the deposits were placed &ldquo;under bilateral commercial agreements,&rdquo; reflecting the UAE&rsquo;s continued support for Pakistan&rsquo;s economic stability. &ldquo;Accordingly, pursuant to mutually agreed terms, the Government of Pakistan, through the SBP, is now returning the matured deposits to the UAE,&rdquo; the spokesperson said, adding, &ldquo;This is a routine financial transaction, and any attempt to portray it otherwise is erroneous and misleading.&rdquo;

Economy

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) repays a deposit of US $1 billion to Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), UAE, on Thursday (23 April 2026), said a post shared on social media by the central bank of Pakistan on Friday.

Articles tagged with "Pakistan-UAE Ties"

Pakistan dismisses claims of 'targeted' deportations of citizens from UAE

Pakistan completes repayment of $3.45B deposits to UAE: State bank