Full Breakdown
Mass Deportations of Pakistani Shi'ite Workers from the UAE Amid Iran Conflict
5/26/2026, 12:48:50 AM
Event Overview
Since 28 February 2024, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, the United Arab Emirates has deported hundreds of Pakistani Shi'ite laborers. Over 100 have arrived in Chakwal district without jobs, luggage, or access to savings. Community groups link the expulsions to heightened Gulf tensions following Iran’s missile and drone attacks on the UAE.
Scale and Figures
Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) lists 7,500 deportees since 28 February; Reuters verified 103 cases, interviewing 24 and noting a flight with 93 Shi'ite detainees. Community leader Musarat Hussain Bangash reported 1,500 returnees from Kurram. The Association of Overseas Pakistanis estimates 8 million Pakistanis work in the UAE, sending about $6 billion in remittances annually.
Human Impact
Returnees report abrupt detention, loss of jobs and confiscated belongings. A former Dubai Metro manager spent nine days in police custody before being placed on an overcrowded bus to the airport. Others, such as a construction worker, were questioned about income and alleged Iran ties.
Official Statements & Responses
Pakistan’s interior ministry says deportations are not sect-based but result from UAE regulation violations; the foreign ministry notes that “deportation figures remain steady” this year. An anonymous senior official said Islamabad is “reviewing the situation” but has not pursued the case publicly for diplomatic reasons. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs declined comment.
Criticism & Opposition
Human Rights Watch deputy director Michael Page called the reports “deeply alarming” and launched an investigation. MENA Rights Group’s officer Falah Sayed said the crackdown on Shia Muslims in the UAE is not new, noting a pattern of arbitrary detention of foreign Shia nationals. Community leaders argue the lack of due process and targeting of Shi'ite workers constitute sectarian discrimination.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
UAE authorities have not disclosed the criteria for the expulsions, while Pakistani officials deny sectarian motives. The MWM database suggests a higher number of deportees than official Pakistani figures, and no independent verification exists on whether visa violations or security concerns drove the removals.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No one told us why we were being deported,” — Ali Ahmed Naqvi, Pakistani worker
- “I was back to zero in the blink of an eye,” — Former Dubai Metro manager (unnamed)
- “In just one day, or rather in minutes, everything was over,” — Laiq Hussain, former Dubai employee
- “reports of UAE deportations of Pakistani Shia residents are deeply alarming” — Michael Page, HRW deputy director
Outlook & Next Steps
Pakistan says it is reviewing the situation, while HRW has opened an inquiry into alleged sectarian targeting. Community leaders call for diplomatic engagement with the UAE to clarify criteria and release frozen assets. Monitoring will continue as regional tensions evolve.
