The Ministry of Interior on Friday dismissed reports regarding “targeted deportations” of Pakistani nationals from the United Arab Emirates, describing such claims as “mala fide” and part of a “vicious propaganda” campaign.

Some social media accounts had claimed that around 1,200 Pakistanis had been deported from the UAE.

A report published by The New York Times claimed that the UAE had initiated a large-scale expulsion of Pakistani workers.

The report said it interviewed 20 Pakistani Shias, including eight businessmen based in the Emirates, who alleged that their Pakistani employees had been deported in recent weeks.

According to the report, the deportations came amid “perceived Emirati displeasure over Pakistan’s response to Iranian strikes” on the Gulf state while Islamabad was attempting to broker a peace agreement between the US and Iran.

In a statement issued on Friday, the interior ministry said it had reviewed the relevant details and data and found the reports to be fabricated and misleading. “No country or sect-specific deportations from any country, including the UAE, are being carried out,” the statement said.

The ministry clarified that deportations, where they occurred, were part of a routine process undertaken in accordance with the host country’s regulations and legal system, including cases involving violations of laws, overstaying or illegal documentation.

It further stated that Pakistani nationals who fulfilled the visa and work-related requirements of host countries continued to travel to and obtain employment visas for the UAE and other friendly countries “without prejudice”. The ministry said the “fake news” and social media posts suggesting otherwise were “malicious and fabricated” and aimed at serving “ulterior motives”.

It added that any matter involving a Pakistani national abroad is addressed on a case-by-case basis with the relevant country through established FO channels.