During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed that between 40,000 and 50,000 Pakistanis are residing illegally in Iraq, while only 8,000 are there legally. The issue has been forwarded to the Federal Cabinet for further action.
The committee, led by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, also discussed the challenges faced by Pakistanis in Iraq and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In Iraq, Pakistani workers, who earn between 300 to 400 dollars, face significant hardships, including torture and the confiscation of passports upon arrival. The Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis confirmed these conditions during the meeting.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that 40,000 to 50,000 Pakistanis are living illegally in Iraq, with 8,000 working legally. Additionally, 44 Pakistani human trafficking agents are imprisoned in Iraq. The committee has sent the matter to the federal cabinet for resolution, focusing on addressing the issues faced by illegally residing Pakistanis.
Regarding the UAE, the committee held an in-camera session to discuss the visa ban issue. Following a briefing, the committee called for urgent steps to lift the visa ban and suggested involving Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to engage with the UAE government on this matter.
