ISLAMABAD: The United Arab Emirates had decided to free 572 Pakistani prisoners languishing in jails across the country, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said on Thursday, in good news for the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan which has made the release of prisoners abroad a priority.
There are some 2,600 Pakistanis imprisoned in the UAE and around 3,400 in Saudi Arabia on different charges, including murder and drug-peddling.
In February, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also ordered the release of about 2,100 Pakistani prisoners from the kingdom’s jails during a high-profile visit to Islamabad.
“Our mission in the UAE is in touch with the relevant authorities to expedite their [Pakistanis] release and deportation,” Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal said at a weekly press briefing.
Giving a rough number of Pakistanis in jails across the UAE, he said 262 were in Abu Dhabi, 65 in Ajman, 62 in Fujairah and 52 in Sharjah.
“We will also hear good news regarding the release of Pakistani prisoners from Saudi jails very soon,” the foreign office spokesman said in response to a question.
Last month, the Paksitani foreign minister said Pakistan’s diplomatic mission in the Kingdom was working with Saudi officials for the release of 2,107 prisoners as ordered by the Saudi crown prince.
The Prime Minister’s Special Adviser on Overseas Pakistanis, Syed Zulfi Bukhari, met the Dubai police chief Maj. Gen. Abdullah Khalifa Al Mari in January this year in Dubai and devised a mechanism to share date on prisoners with the aim of swift repatriation.
“The exchange of data is expected to help Islamabad make arrangements for repatriation of prisoners well before they are released,” the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development had said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas informed the National Assembly earlier this month that Saudi Arabia was expected to release Pakistani prisoners during Ramadan under a “special clemency law.”
Out of around eight million overseas Pakistanis, more than 11,000 are languishing in foreign jails, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ data. Other than those in Saudi and UAE jails, there are some 1,842 Pakistanis jailed in Greece, 582 in India, 177 in Afghanistan, 242 in China, 188 in Iran, and 226 in Malaysia.
Commenting on the recent escalation in US-Iranian tensions following Washington’s decision this month to try to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero and to beef up its military presence in the Gulf in response to what it said were Iranian threats, Faisal said the situation could prove dangerous for regional peace.
“Any miscalculation can lead to a large scale conflict in the region,” he said.
He also condemned recent attacks this week on Saudi oil tankers off the coast of the UAE as well as drone attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities.
“Pakistan condemns attacks on Saudi Arabia, and believes that such attacks can endanger peace of the Middle East and the whole region,” Faisal said.
UAE to free 572 Pakistani prisoners, foreign office says
UAE to free 572 Pakistani prisoners, foreign office says
- Foreign office says good news also expected soon on release of prisoners from Saudi jails
- Condemns recent attacks on Saudi oil facilities
Pakistan advises citizens in Gulf to exercise caution, avoid travel after Khamenei killing
- The 86-year-old was killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran
- Islamabad shares contacts of embassies and consulates to facilitate Pakistanis abroad
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday warned its citizens in the Middle East and Arabian Gulf states to exercise caution, avoid travel and strictly follow official adviseries, amid escalating tensions following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US–Israeli strikes.
Iranian state media reported that the 86-year-old was killed in an airstrike targeting his compound in downtown Tehran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard warned of “a severe, decisive and regret-inducing punishment” coming over Khamenei’s killing.
Israel and Iran traded new attacks Sunday, after Tehran hit both the Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest for international traffic — and Kuwait’s main airport during its retaliatory strikes one day earlier.
As Iran’s army announced strikes targeting US bases in the Gulf and Iraqi Kurdistan, Trump threatened to unleash “force that has never been seen before” and urged Iran’s people to rise up and seize power.
“In view of the evolving regional situation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to closely monitor developments and extend all necessary assistance,” the Pakistani foreign office said.
“All Pakistani nationals residing in the Gulf region are strongly advised to exercise utmost caution, remain indoors where possible, avoid unnecessary travel, and strictly adhere to the instructions and adviseries issued by the respective host governments.”
It said the CMU, which is active around the clock, could be reached for information or emergency assistance at +92-51-9207887.
Similarly, the Foreign Office shared emergency contact details of Pakistani embassies and consulates for facilitation of Pakistani nationals abroad, which are as follows:
IRAN
Embassy of Pakistan, Tehran
+98-21-669413-88/89/90/91 (landline)
+98-9107648298 (mobile)
Pakistan Consulate, Zahidan
+98-54-33223389
+98-9046145412 (mobile)
Pakistan Consulate, Mashhad
+98-9107625302 (mobile)
+98-9371807175
SAUDI ARABIA
Embassy of Pakistan, Riyadh
+966 (0)114887272 (landline)
+966(0)114884111 (landline)
+966(0)114884222 (landline)
+966 57 628 4980 (mobile)
+966 56 050 5030 (mobile)
Pakistan Consulate General Jeddah
+966(0)126689149 (landline)
+966(0)126692371 (landline)
+966 59 000 8295 (mobile)
+96653 661 7573 (mobile)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Embassy of Pakistan, Abu Dhabi
+971 50 254 8975
Embassy Hotline
+971 2 444 7800
Pakistan Consulate General, Dubai
+971 56 647 2721
+971 (0) 4397 0412
QATAR
Community Welfare Attache-I
+974 5530 5836
Community Welfare Attache-II
+974 7791 1392
Mr. Mubashir Ahmed
+974 5090 5777
BAHRAIN
+973 1724 4113
+973 3235 1512
+973 3435 2578
+973 3407 1665
+973 3456 3037
+973 3982 6823
+973 3569 0404
+973 3535 9150
KUWAIT
Deputy Head of Mission/Head of Chancery
+965 99699513
Additional Assistant
+965 98562753
OMAN
Mr. Liaqat Ali
+968 91276197
Mr. Khadim Hussain
+968 94201095
Mr. Abdus Samad
+968 92040038
Mr. Muhammad Sajjad
+968 78596604
JORDAN
+962 77 6444546
+962 77 9444546
IRAQ
Emergency Number
+964 7834 950311
+964 7846 192482
+964 7834 950183
+964 7839 800899
SYRIA
+963 990 138 972(mobile/WhatsApp)
+963987127822(mobile/WhatsApp)
