Pakistan urges its expats to abide by laws after reported concerns from Gulf countries

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office spokesperson on Thursday advised its nationals living abroad, especially in the Middle East, to abide by their laws and respect their customs, following a senate committee meeting this week that reportedly discussed concerns by Gulf countries about the lackluster performance standards and behaviors of Pakistani citizens in their countries. 
During a briefing of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis this week, the poor performance standards of Pakistani workers abroad came under discussion. Dr. Arshad Mahmood, secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, informed the committee that 50 percent of the crime rate in the UAE is reportedly attributed to Pakistanis. 
As per a report in the English-language newspaper Dawn, the secretary said there was a declining trend in overseas employment for the Pakistani labor force. He noted that despite modernization and technological advancement, a significant portion of the Pakistani labor force remains unskilled. 
“I reiterate our request to Pakistani nationals, wherever they are, to respect the local laws and the local customs so that the life of all Pakistanis in those countries remain normal and these individuals continue to enjoy their stay in these countries,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told reporters during a news briefing. 
Of over 10 million overseas Pakistanis, over 50 percent live in Gulf countries, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE being the top choices for Pakistani laborers for decades. Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the first and second largest sources of remittances to Pakistan, respectively.
Baloch noted that apart from a few individuals, the majority of Pakistani nationals living abroad were law-abiding citizens and respected the laws of their host countries, including those of the Gulf States.
“UAE or other countries in the Middle East have their laws with respect to individuals who are foreign expatriates and their participation in political activities,” she said. Baloch added that all Pakistani citizens were continuously urged to follow their host country’s laws accordingly. 
Commenting on the Pakistani workforce’s skills, Baloch noted that they had positively contributed to the development of societies in the Middle East where they have lived for decades.
“The host governments are appreciative of Pakistani nationals, of their contribution to their society, and the peaceful and law-abiding nature of Pakistani workers who live in these countries, especially in the Middle East,” she added.
‘EFFECTIVE, ROBUST ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS’
Baloch responded to a recent report by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) this week that pointed out the severe security threat that the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) poses to the country. 
Pakistan’s information ministry has said the UNSC report noted increased cooperation between the TTP and Afghan Taliban in cross-border assaults, primarily targeting Pakistani military posts.
Pakistan has suffered a surge in militant attacks inside its territory since Nov. 2022, when a fragile truce between the TTP and the state broke down. Pakistan blames the Afghan Taliban for sheltering the TTP and has asked it to take action against the militants. Kabul has rejected Islamabad’s allegations. 
Baloch said the report pointed out that TTP operatives and the group’s new recruits were being trained in Afghanistan.
“This endorses what we have been saying for the last several months, that Afghanistan has hideouts and sanctuaries for terrorist groups, including TTP, that continue to threaten Pakistan’s security,” she said. 
“We urge Afghanistan to take immediate, effective, and robust action against these terror groups, especially the TTP, and to ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a staging ground for terrorism against Pakistan,” Baloch added.