Pakistanis deported from US, UAE

KARACHI: Over 200 Pakistanis were deported from different countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United States, within the past week, exposing a range of challenges such as visa violations, legal offenses, and instances of human trafficking.

Immigration sources confirmed that 220 individuals were repatriated from nations including the UAE, China, Turkey, Zimbabwe, and Senegal. 

Among them, 12 were taken into custody upon their arrival in Karachi.

Between January 19 and 21, within a span of 48 hours, a number of deportations were carried out.

From Saudi Arabia, 47 individuals were deported for various reasons, including visa-related issues, blacklisting, overstaying, and working without a sponsor.

Specifically, one individual was deported for a missing online visa, one for visa cancellation, and one for re-entry denial.

Additionally, 17 individuals were released from jail and deported for begging, while two were deported for lost passports, three for overstaying, and three more for blacklisting. Another 16 were deported for working without a sponsor, 17 due to complaints by their sponsors, and 12 for other unspecified reasons.

The United States deported two individuals who were travelling on emergency documents. In Zimbabwe, three passengers were stopped by immigration authorities and sent back to Pakistan.

Similarly, six individuals were deported from various countries, including Cyprus, Pretoria, Qatar, Uganda, and China.

A particularly large group of deportations occurred from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where 103 Pakistanis were released from jail and deported using emergency travel documents.

In Senegal, two individuals who had fallen victim to human traffickers were deported back to Pakistan.

The deportations highlight a range of issues, including visa violations, legal infractions, and human trafficking, underscoring the challenges faced by many Pakistanis seeking opportunities abroad.

Earlier this month as many as 258 Pakistanis were deported from seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China in the last 24 hours.

Among them, 14 had Pakistani passports, while 244 were deported on emergency travel documents.

Immigration officials said that upon their arrival in Karachi, 16 deportees, including one with a suspicious identity, were arrested, while the rest were released after questioning.