ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis face deportation threats form the Saudi Arabiagovernment over Iqama issues.
Pakistan’s consulate general in Jeddah on Saturday said that around 400Pakistanis had been detained for deportation by the Saudi authorities, butdenied that the crackdown against illegal workers was Pakistan specific.
“Around 400 Pakistanis have been brought to Shumaisi Deportation Centrenear Makkah over the last three days,” a statement from the consulate,which was shared here by the Foreign Office, said.
The statement was issued in response to reports, mostly on social media,that thousands of Pakistani workers were detained and deported over thepast few days.
It was also being speculated that the action by the Saudi authorities was areaction to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Kuala Lumpur and hisstatement there in which he, while explaining his no-show at the KL Summit,said that he had missed the event because some countries “close toPakistan” had believed it would divide the Ummah and promised to attend thenext edition.
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“The assumption that it is a Pakistan-specific drive is completelyincorrect. … Certain social media sections are also giving it a misleadingpolitical angle.
It is in the interest of the deep-rooted Pak-Saudi brotherly relations thatsuch baseless and irresponsible twist is avoided at all costs,” it said.
