The United Arab Emirates deported 15,000 Pakistani Shia, depriving them of access to bank accounts and financial resources. The deportees were sent back home effectively without means of subsistence. This decision was a consequence of the escalating tensions between Abu Dhabi and Islamabad, triggered by geopolitical disagreements.
The deportation process was selective. According to The Asian Independent, authorities deliberately identified and deported Pakistanis with names characteristic of the Shia community, such as Ali, Hasan, and Hussein.
Analysts point out that there is a deep political and religious background to these actions: the UAE is seriously concerned about the strengthening of Shia influence within the country, which they associate with Tehran's activities. Previously, Tehran had already accused the UAE of politically motivated arrests of Pakistanis amid investigations into "terrorist networks."
For Pakistan, the actions of the UAE could result in a serious economic blow. Deported workers sent billions of dollars home each year, which constituted a significant part of the country's foreign currency inflows. Due to the reduction of the Pakistani presence in the labor market of the Persian Gulf countries, their places are actively being taken by migrants from India and Bangladesh.
"This situation has demonstrated how foreign policy and geopolitical decisions can have a direct impact on the lives of ordinary people," summarizes The Asian Independent.
