ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – More than 21,600 Pakistani nationals are being held in prisons across 71 countries, with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates accounting for the largest numbers, according to figures submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the National Assembly.
The data show that 21,647 Pakistanis are imprisoned overseas. Of these, 8,569 have been sentenced, while more than 13,000 are facing legal proceedings in courts in different countries.
Saudi Arabia tops the list, with 10,745 Pakistani nationals in its prisons. The UAE ranks second, with 5,297 prisoners, making the two Gulf countries home to the overwhelming majority of Pakistanis listed in the figures.
Other Gulf states also reported Pakistani detainees. Qatar has 599, Oman 578 and Bahrain 218, while 81 Pakistanis are imprisoned in Iraq.
Outside the Gulf region, India has 738 Pakistani prisoners, while China holds 625. The figures also include 516 Pakistanis in Greece, 444 in Malaysia, 353 in Italy and 190 in Türkiye.
The data further list 169 Pakistani nationals in Iranian prisons, 141 in the United States, 91 each in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, 35 in Thailand, 27 in Australia and 23 in the United Kingdom.
The figures indicate that Pakistani nationals abroad are dealing with different stages of criminal proceedings. Thousands have already been convicted and sentenced, while a larger group remains involved in ongoing court cases.
The offences mentioned in the information submitted to parliament include drug smuggling, currency-related violations, human trafficking, forgery and other criminal allegations. However, the figures do not provide a country-by-country breakdown of the alleged offences or the sentences imposed.
Pakistani citizens detained overseas are subject to the legal systems of the countries where their cases are being heard. The circumstances of individual prisoners may vary according to the nature of the allegations, the evidence presented and the stage of judicial proceedings.
The figures presented to the National Assembly offer an overview of the scale and geographical spread of Pakistani nationals held in foreign prisons. They also highlight the concentration of cases in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where the combined number of Pakistani prisoners exceeds 16,000.
