Deportation of Criminal Elements From UAE Should Not Cause Uproar: Khawaja Asif
Khawaja Asif has defended the deportation of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates, saying the UAE has every right to take action against individuals involved in criminal or illegal activities.
Speaking during a television program, the federal defence minister said that not all of the approximately 2.3 million Pakistanis living in the UAE are law-abiding citizens, adding that some are involved in crimes, begging, and other objectionable activities.
Khawaja Asif remarked that “all Pakistanis in the UAE are not mosque imams,” stating that among the large expatriate community there are also criminals and professional beggars. He further claimed that some Pakistanis abroad have become involved in activities that are socially and morally unacceptable.
متحدہ عرب امارات میں 23 لاکھ پاکستانی ہیں سب کے سب امام مسجد تو نہیں ہیں اُن میں وارداتیے بھی ہیں بھکاری بھی ہیں اور بھی ایسے پیشوں سے وابستہ ہیں جو بتائے نہیں جا سکتے قوانین کی خلاف ورزی پر ڈی پورٹ کرنا اُنکا حق ھے 23 لاکھ میں سے دو چار ہزار یا دس ہزار بندہ ڈی پورٹ ھو بھی جائے… pic.twitter.com/Hr673BCj1h
— Muzamil (@muzamil_45) May 23, 2026
The minister said that Pakistanis historically did not have such a reputation, but circumstances have changed over time. He added that if individuals violate the laws of their host country, the Emirati authorities are fully justified in deporting them.
According to Khawaja Asif, if a few thousand or even 10,000 people involved in criminal activities are deported out of the 2.3 million Pakistanis residing in the UAE, there is no need for panic or public outrage in Pakistan.
His remarks come amid growing concerns over visa restrictions, deportations, and stricter immigration policies affecting Pakistani nationals in Gulf countries.
