ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has informed the National Assembly that 3,523 Pakistani nationals were imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during 2025, while thousands received legal assistance and many were released following clemency measures.
According to official details submitted to the House, 1,050 Pakistani citizens were held in various prisons and rehabilitation centres in Abu Dhabi alone. Up to November 2025, Pakistani missions in the UAE provided legal assistance—particularly legal counselling—to 769 prisoners, covering both civil and criminal cases.
During the first three quarters of 2025, officials conducted 276 visits to prisons, immigration centres, police stations and other relevant institutions to monitor cases and extend consular support. The ministry said that applications for clemency and pardons for Pakistani prisoners are regularly submitted to the host government. In 2025, a total of 350 such applications were filed.
As a result of these efforts and special concessions by the UAE authorities, 1,133 Pakistani prisoners were released on the occasion of Ramadan (March 27, 2025), while another 766 inmates were freed on Eidul Azha (July 15, 2025).
The House was further informed that by the end of November 2025, Pakistani diplomatic missions had issued 7,370 Emergency Travel Documents to nationals in distress, facilitating their return home. The government reiterated its commitment to safeguarding the rights and welfare of Pakistanis abroad through sustained diplomatic engagement and consular support.
