A recent report from the Interior Ministry has revealed that over half a million Pakistanis have been deported from 134 countries across the world in the last five years.

Statistics provided by the Ministry of Interior show that a total of 519,000 Pakistani nationals have been deported from various countries since 2014.

The deportees returning from these countries came with multiple charges, including forgery of documents and several criminal convictions. At the top of the long list of countries are Muslim states, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Turkey.

The report reveals that besides these expulsions, at least 65,000 illegal immigrants are still imprisoned at deportee camps of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

[image: Most of them deported have been sent back from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, and Turkey. PHOTO: EXPRESS]

Saud Arabia remains on top of the list, expelling over 325,000 Pakistanis since 2014, while UAE is second on the list, deporting more than 52,000 Pakistanis during the same period.

As many as 47,000 Pakistanis, living illegally in Oman and Turkey returned home during these years.

Similarly, 18,312 Pakistanis were expelled from Malaysia, 15,320 from Britain, 17,534 from Greece, 936 from the US, 275 from China, 445 from Canada, 15,413 from Iran, and 920 from Germany between 2014 and 2019.

A large number of Pakistanis who illegally immigrated to European countries were also chased out. Italy deported the highest number of Pakistanis, sending back 945.

Meanwhile, France expelled 845, Spain 494, Belgium 375, Norway 301, Austria 270, Sweden 112, Netherlands 145, Romania 165, Switzerland 65, and Bulgaria 175 back to Pakistan.

A large number of these deportees have been the victim of human trafficking groups actively working in Pakistan. So far, the Interior Ministry has identified more than 1000 such groups in the country.

The traffickers often prey on people who want to go abroad in search of a better life, and more suitable employment opportunities.