At least 21,951 Pakistanis deported from Gulf states by March 1, NA told

• Data shows Saudi Arabia deported 15,495 Pakistani nationals.
• Illegal stay, drug-related offences among reasons for deportations.
• 799 Pakistanis died abroad during last two years: state minister.
  

ISLAMABAD: At least 21,951 Pakistanis have been deported from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states by March 1, the National Assembly was informed, with Saudi Arabia accounting for the largest share of deportations.

According to data shared in a written reply to a question by Hameed Hassan during the Question Hour in the National Assembly on Thursday, out of the 21,951 Pakistanis deported, the majority were from Saudi Arabia from where 15,495 Pakistanis were deported, according to The News.

From the United Arab Emirates, 3,802 Pakistanis were deported, while 521 were deported from Oman, 521 from Bahrain, 429 from Qatar and 97 from Kuwait. The reasons for deportation included violations of iqama and visa regulations, illegal stay, drug-related offences, absconding and other breaches of immigration laws.

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, responding to supplementary questions, said the figure covered only those Pakistanis who were formally detained by the authorities of the respective countries and deported after Pakistani missions issued them emergency travel documents.

He clarified that Pakistanis who returned voluntarily or on valid passports were not included in the figures.

To another question, Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Aun Chaudhry said that 799 Pakistani nationals had died abroad during the last two years.

According to the reply, an amount of Rs1.3 billion had been disbursed as financial assistance to 3,498 families of deceased/disabled overseas Pakistanis.

An amount of Rs753.29 million had been disbursed to 294 families of overseas Pakistanis on account of pending dues from the host countries, including Pakistani missions in Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.

To another supplementary question, Chaudhry said that the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) continued to facilitate the transportation of bodies from countries where the national airline operated

In countries where PIA did not operate, the ministry used an alternative mechanism involving the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) and other relevant officials to arrange repatriation.

The minister explained that the bodies were also brought to Pakistan through arrangements with other airlines and relevant organisations, as PIA had previously transported such bodies free of cost.

In response to another supplementary question by Shazia Marri, the minister said Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) were deployed in Gulf and Europe to assist Pakistani workers and address their issues.

In cases where workers were imprisoned or fined, a committee arranged payment of fines.

Responding to a supplementary question by Aliya Kamran, the minister said the government had increased the pension-related facility for overseas Pakistani workers. The government reviewed and extended facilities annually, with increases ranging between 13% and 15%.

In reply to another question, Chaudhry told the National Assembly that the special courts for the protection of overseas Pakistanis’ properties and swift resolution of their disputes were fully operational in Islamabad and all 36 districts of Punjab, urging Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to expedite legislation for establishing similar courts.