ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Consulate General in Jeddah on Saturday issued a statement to counter an online propaganda campaign against Saudi Arabia, pointing to the fact that no Pakistan-specific repatriation was happening in the Kingdom as maintained by some social media users.

“Saudi authorities have informed us that this is not country-specific. All foreign nationals who are either living in the country illegally without valid documents or working without iqama or have an expired work permit or doing a job at a place not mentioned on the iqama or working outside of their declared profession have to deal with the situation,” Arshad Munir, the consulate general spokesman, told Arab News on the phone from Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia is home to about 2.6 million Pakistani expats who constitute a vital source of foreign remittances for their country. Last year, Pakistan received $21.8 billion in remittances out of which over $5 billion were sent by Pakistani nationals working in the Kingdom.

Munir said people were spreading rumors on social media that Pakistani expatriates from the Makkah region were arrested and deported by Saudi authorities.

“We were also concerned about these reports, so we contacted the Saudis who informed us that it was a routine operation against illegal expatriates of all nationalities. It has been a routine for the last many years that Saudis undertake such an operation ahead of Ramadan,” he said, adding that the Kingdom was very cooperative and immediately clarified the situation to the Pakistani diplomatic mission.

Under the drive, Saudi authorities check the iqama and arrest those who are found in violation of it, Munir said, adding that a majority of arrested people arrived in the Kingdom for Umrah but stayed there for work.

He said the Consulate General in Jeddah was in contact with the relevant Saudi authorities and was also taking all possible measures within the legal framework to protect the interests of Pakistani community.

“Saudis are concerned about people who are staying here illegally, but they also extend warm welcome to those who arrive in their country on valid documents. The Kingdom has increased opportunities for Pakistani workers in recent time and many of our nationals come here on valid documents,” he said.

Pakistan’s Consulate General in Jeddah on Saturday circulated a statement, noting that 400 Pakistanis were brought to a deportation center near Makkah during the last three days.

“The recent drive against illegal expatriates from all nationalities has been initiated since the last one week. In this connection, around 400 Pakistanis have been brought to the Shumaisi Deportation Center near Makkah over the last three days,” the statement said, adding that the assumption that the drive was Pakistan-specific was completely incorrect.

“We advise the Pakistani community in the Kingdom to remain calm and not pay attention to this fabricated and politically motivated social media campaign. It is in the interest of the deep rooted Pak-Saudi brotherly relations that such baseless and irresponsible distortions are avoided at all cost,” it added.