A total of 21,647 Pakistani citizens are imprisoned in 71 countries worldwide, including 8,569 who have been sentenced and more than 13,000 whose cases remain under trial, according to figures presented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the National Assembly.
The data reveal that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates account for the largest numbers of Pakistani prisoners abroad, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing citizens detained in foreign jurisdictions.
Saudi Arabia and UAE Dominate the Figures
Saudi Arabia holds 10,745 Pakistani prisoners — nearly half of the global total — while 5,297 are held in prisons across the UAE, according to the ministry’s breakdown.
Other Gulf states also hold Pakistani nationals in significant numbers:
- Qatar: 599 prisoners
- Oman: 578 prisoners
- Bahrain: 218 prisoners
- Iraq: 81 prisoners
Beyond the Gulf: India, China and Europe
Outside the Gulf region, India holds 738 Pakistani prisoners, followed by China with 625, Greece with 516, Malaysia with 444, Italy with 353 and Türkiye with 190.
The figures also list 169 Pakistani prisoners in Iran, 141 in the United States, 91 each in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, 35 in Thailand, 27 in Australia and 23 in the United Kingdom.
Cases at Different Stages of Proceedings
According to the information presented to parliament, the prisoners’ cases are at varying stages of legal proceedings in their respective countries. While thousands have received sentences, a substantial number are still awaiting the outcome of their cases.
The reported offences include alleged involvement in drug smuggling, currency-related crimes, human trafficking, forgery and other criminal cases. The figures do not specify how many prisoners are associated with each category of offence.
Pakistani citizens detained overseas are subject to the laws and judicial procedures of the countries where they are held, and their legal circumstances may differ depending on the charges, stage of proceedings and sentences imposed.
What the Data Does Not Show
The Foreign Ministry’s figures offer a broad picture of the number of Pakistanis in foreign prisons and the countries accounting for the largest populations. However, the information presented does not provide a detailed breakdown of cases by offence, sentence length or the number of prisoners awaiting trial in each individual country.
