As Pakistan mediates between the United States and Iran, its longstanding alliance with the United Arab Emirates is fraying. The affluent Gulf nation has initiated a significant expulsion of Pakistani workers, a move that threatens a crucial source of employment and remittances for many in Pakistan.
The UAE seems displeased that Pakistan has not more strongly denounced Iranian assaults on its territory while simultaneously attempting to negotiate peace between Washington and Tehran. The Emirates suffered greatly from these attacks, enduring thousands of missile and drone strikes from Iran.
Shia religious authorities in Pakistan estimate that thousands of Shia Pakistanis have been expelled from the Emirates since mid-April.
The New York Times spoke with over 20 Pakistani Shias who were employed by Emirati companies. Each individual reported that they were unexpectedly arrested, detained, and subsequently deported within the last month.
Additionally, eight individuals who run businesses in the Emirates indicated that their Pakistani staff had faced deportation in recent weeks.
Many of those affected had spent decades working in the UAE, where migrant remittances remain a critical source of income for Pakistani families and foreign exchange for the country’s struggling economy.
Pakistan has a population of 35 million Shias, who share deep spiritual connections with Iran. Pakistan’s Shia community has frequently encountered sectarian violence, particularly as the majority of the population adheres to Sunni Islam.
The expulsions appear to target Pakistani Shia Muslims specifically, with reports indicating that workers were sent back to Pakistan without formal charges and without the opportunity to withdraw their funds from UAE banks.
Pakistan has been making efforts to facilitate an end to the conflict involving Iran, but this diplomatic initiative is now leading to tensions with one of its longstanding allies. The UAE appears to view Pakistan’s mediation efforts as insufficiently supportive of Emirati interests in the regional conflict.
The swift deportations signal strained ties between Pakistan and Gulf allies, occurring alongside other incidents such as Etihad Airways abruptly terminating Pakistani employees and ordering them to leave within 48 hours.
The expulsion poses a significant threat to Pakistan’s economy. Migrant workers in the Gulf have long been a critical source of foreign exchange for Pakistan, and the sudden loss of nearly 15,000 workers’ remittances could further strain the country’s already precarious financial situation.
Via: New York Times
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