Concerns Rise as UAE Deports Pakistani Shias Amid Iran Tensions

Over 100 Pakistani Shi'ite Muslims from the Chakwal district in Pakistan have reportedly returned home from the UAE after being deported in connection with the ongoing Iran conflict. Many expressed despair over losing jobs, personal belongings, and years of savings, often without clear reasons from the authorities.

Interviews and documentation reviewed by Reuters reveal that numerous Pakistanis were unexpectedly detained and sent back on flights, alongside other Shi'ite Muslims. Many reported they were denied the opportunity to retrieve their possessions or access their funds prior to their deportation.

A report from the Pakistani Shi'ite political organization Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen noted around 7,500 Pakistani Shi'ites deported from the UAE since February 28, although the group suspects the actual figure could be higher.

Leaders of Pakistan’s Shi'ite community stated that these deportations surged following increased tensions in the Gulf due to the Iran conflict, which saw Iran conducting missile and drone strikes on the UAE, raising widespread security fears.

However, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has denied any correlation between deportations and religious affiliations, asserting that such actions stemmed from violations of UAE laws. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry indicated that the deportation rates this year remain usual, though specific statistics were not made available.

An anonymous senior official from the Pakistani government mentioned that Islamabad is evaluating the situation after receiving numerous deported citizens, largely Shi'ite Muslims. The official highlighted that the matter remains unaddressed in public due to diplomatic sensitivities.

Human Rights Watch has taken notice of these allegations, with Michael Page, the deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa division, expressing that these claims are “deeply alarming,” and that the organization is investigating further.

Pakistan hosts a substantial Shi'ite population, with nearly 40 million individuals constituting about 17% of its demographic. Currently, around 1.8 million Pakistanis reside and work in the UAE, remitting over $6 billion back home annually.

Several deported individuals have shared poignant stories of their ordeals. Ali Ahmed Naqvi, a tech worker in Dubai, recounted how his wife was detained while altering her work visa and was later deported, leading to his own detention and return with 93 other Shi'ite individuals.

In the Kurram district of Pakistan, community leaders noted that almost 1,500 individuals have come back from the UAE since the onset of the conflict, many of whom were the primary earners for their families.

One deported worker, Laiq Hussain, lamented losing everything within moments after deportation after two decades in Dubai. Another former manager at the Dubai Metro shared that he was cuffed and detained for nine days before being sent back to Pakistan.

Some deportees alleged that UAE officials interrogated them about their earnings, remittances, and potential ties to Iran before their expulsion.

Rights organizations note that concerns regarding the treatment of Shi'ite Muslims in Gulf countries are longstanding, but emerging reports suggest that the situation has worsened in light of the Iran conflict.