Pakistani embassy warns citizens against protesting in support of Imran Khan in the UAE

Pakistan's embassy in the UAE warned that 'processions and protests are illegal in this country. Anyone breaking the law is bound to face serious legal consequences.'
2 min read
14 April, 2022
Pakistanis around the world have protested in support of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan [Getty]

The Pakistani Embassy in the United Arab Emirates has urged its citizens to refrain from engaging in protests in the Gulf state, amid outrage over the removal of Imran Khan as prime minister.

In a press release on Wednesday, the Embassy said that “processions and protests are illegal in this country. Anyone breaking the law is bound to face serious legal consequences.”

Pakistan has been engulfed by a wave of demonstrations in support of ousted Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was removed from office in a no-confidence vote on Sunday.

His supporters in Pakistan and around the world have continued to protest, and Khan himself has called for peaceful demonstrations until the newly installed government agrees to call an election.

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Abu Dhabi has a history of zero tolerance towards demonstrations in the country related to foreign causes.

In 2012, UAE authorities cancelled the residency permits for dozens of Syrians who participated in peaceful protests against Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

“These expulsions show that Emirati authorities are intolerant of any protest or expression of dissent on UAE soil even if it is not geared toward them,” said Sarah Leah Whiston, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, at the time.

In 2008, the UAE also deported dozens of Indian migrant workers who were demonstrating for better pay and living conditions.