MNA Ali Musa Gilani on Sunday denied reports of his deportation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), terming them “fake news”.
“I was not deported at all, it’s fake news! I travelled as per schedule and returned as per schedule,” Musa, son of Senate Chairperson Yousaf Raza Gilani posted on X in response to a claim of his deportation.
It was made in a post shared by former Pakistan Institute of Development Economics vice chancellor Nadeem Haque, who commented: “Seriously. We are so devalued. The Pakistani passport seems to have no value. So much for our valuable democracy.”
Reiterating his dismissal of the deportation reports in a second post, Musa said: “Let me assure people with official passports that the government of the UAE is upholding the agreement to the letter and spirit. The fake news circulating regarding deportation is FAKE.”
He also posted a photo of himself, which he said was from his “recent trip”.
Referring to the post shared by Haque – which has now been deleted – he tagged the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Federal Investigation Agency and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, and called for action.
“He should prove I was deported from Dubai. This account is maligning the image of Pakistan and its relations with the UAE,” he said.
In another post, Musa acknowledged that the post “containing inaccurate information” had been deleted, adding that “those who believed it and used it as an opportunity to malign Pakistan’s diplomatic relations should also consider deleting their comments and quote tweets”.
“We should not carry hatred forward, nor should we use every opportunity to defame our beloved country, its passport, or our national identity. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar worked tirelessly to secure this visa-free entry arrangement for holders of Pakistani official and diplomatic passports.
“Let us support facts over misinformation and take pride in achievements that strengthen Pakistan’s standing in the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, the user who originally made the deportation claim also reported Musa’s denial in an X post.
“MNA Syed Ali Musa Gilani (son of former prime minister of Pakistan/Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani) claimed in response to my report that he had been deported by Dubai authorities, that he was not deported, but rather completed his visit and returned to Pakistan
“Syed Ali Musa Gilani also posted a photo taken in Dubai as proof so that the public and social media users would acknowledge his truthfulness, but the photo does not indicate the date and time it was taken,” he wrote.
Earlier this month, the interior ministry had also denied reports about “targeted deportation” of Pakistanis from the UAE, asserting that no “country- or sect-specific” expulsions from any country, including the UAE, were being carried out.
The ministry’s statement had come after several media outlets reported that Pakistanis were being deported from the UAE. The ministry’s statement also contradicted claims on social media that Pakistanis were being deported from the UAE without any reason. During a weekly briefing on May 7, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi was also asked about the “unusually high number” of emergency exit documents (ETD) or outpasses being issued by the Pakistani consulate in the UAE.
In his response, Andrabi said the development was “mainly driven by administrative actions, including immigration status violation and other legal infractions”.