ISLAMABAD / RankWire.AI / – Official data released by Pakistan’s federal government confirmed that 21,951 Pakistani nationals were deported from Gulf countries between March 1 and July 13, 2026. According to official figures presented to the National Assembly, the deportations occurred due to various infractions including overstaying visas, illegal entries, drug offenses, forged documentation, and involvement in organized begging networks. Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis deported from Gulf over four months for visa violations and begging highlights tightening immigration enforcement across the Middle East.
The written statement submitted by the Ministry for Narcotics Control detailed that Saudi Arabia accounted for the vast majority of repatriations, expelling 15,500 Pakistani nationals during the four-month window. The United Arab Emirates deported 3,803 individuals, followed by Oman with 1,606 deportations, Bahrain with 521, Qatar with 429, and Kuwait with 97. A significant subset of the repatriated individuals involved 4,628 absconders, 1,294 individuals who served prison sentences, and 472 individuals specifically identified as beggars.
Nearly 22,000 Pakistanis Deported from Gulf Countries Following Immigration Crackdowns
The legal updates come amidst heightened scrutiny from Gulf Cooperation Council states regarding immigration compliance and visa integrity. Ministry records indicated that 1,924 individuals were deported from Saudi Arabia for overstaying or illegal entry, while the UAE and Oman repatriated 347 and 295 individuals respectively for similar offenses. Additionally, 968 Pakistanis were officially blacklisted, 1,155 cases involved lost passports, and 689 cases pertained to direct administrative visa violations.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency has intensified domestic airport screening measures to intercept individuals attempting to travel abroad on forged documents or under false pretexts. Government officials emphasized that individuals attempting to exploit pilgrimage or tourist visas to engage in illegal labor or begging face permanent travel bans. Regulatory authorities noted that coordinated action between domestic law enforcement and international bodies like Interpol remains active to manage criminal deportations.
Saudi Arabia Accounts for Majority of Gulf Repatriation Figures
The official report noted that 6,662 Pakistani nationals were deported under an unspecified “others” category, where detailed offense classifications were not provided by the interior ministry. Nine Pakistani nationals were deported from the UAE specifically through Interpol channels. Other grounds for removal included expired residency permits, entry refusals at border control, theft, and attempting onward travel using invalid or fraudulent identity credentials.
Parliamentary members expressed concern regarding the impact of these high deportation numbers on the international standing of overseas Pakistani workers. Lawmakers called for stricter oversight of private travel agencies and recruitment operators to prevent fraudulent visas from being issued to vulnerable job seekers. Government agencies confirmed that monitoring measures will continue to align domestic emigration processes with international legal standards.