Pakistan's attempt to balance relations between Iran and its Gulf allies during the ongoing US-Iran conflict appears to have triggered growing tensions with the United Arab Emirates, with reports claiming thousands of Pakistanis have faced deportation, visa restrictions and workplace crackdowns in recent weeks.
According to a report by The New York Times, the UAE has quietly intensified scrutiny of Pakistani workers, particularly Shiites, amid frustration in Abu Dhabi over Islamabad's diplomatic approach to the Iran crisis.
The report said Emirati officials were unhappy that Pakistan did not strongly condemn Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting the UAE, even as Islamabad attempted to position itself as a mediator between Tehran and Washington.
“Pakistan embarked on this initiative without enough coordination with the U.A.E.,” Emirati-Lebanese commentator Nadim Koteich told the newspaper.
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The fallout has reportedly extended beyond diplomacy. Last month, the UAE is said to have recalled a $3.5 billion loan to Pakistan, nearly one-fifth of the country's foreign exchange reserves. Saudi Arabia later stepped in with a $3 billion deposit to support Islamabad's finances.
“The U.A.E. was shocked that Pakistan did not support them against Iran, and Pakistan was shocked that the U.A.E. was shocked,” former Pakistani diplomat Husain Haqqani told the publication.
The New York Times said it interviewed more than 20 Pakistani Shiite workers in the UAE who claimed they had been detained, held for days and later deported without explanation. Several Emirati business owners also reportedly confirmed that Pakistani employees had either been removed or denied visa renewals.
“They did not give us any reason,” Pakistani taxi driver Haider Ali Bangash told the newspaper. “But we understood. Our only crime is being Shiite.”
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Pakistan's Foreign Ministry has denied reports of mass deportations. Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said those deported were involved in criminal activities.
The issue carries major economic significance for Islamabad, with more than two million Pakistanis living and working in the UAE and sending home over $8 billion in annual remittances.
“It's important for Pakistan to keep good relations with the Emirates,” former Pakistani finance minister Miftah Ismail told the newspaper. “And at the same time, I don't know what other path Pakistan could have chosen in the war.”
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