PM expresses concern after three Pakistanis injured at UAE port

ABU DHABI: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday voiced concern over an incident at Khor Fakkan port in the United Arab Emirates in which three Pakistani nationals were injured after debris from a missile interception fell at the site.

In a post on X, the prime minister said, ‘Deeply concerned at the incident at Khor Fakkan port in the UAE, where an intercepted projectile caused injuries to civilians, including Pakistani nationals’. He also prayed for the ‘swift recovery’ of those hurt in the incident.

Shehbaz said Pakistan was in ‘close contact’ with the UAE authorities to provide all possible support to Pakistani citizens in the country. He added that ‘Pakistan stands in solidarity with the brotherly people of the UAE and reiterates the urgent need for restraint and de-escalation in the region’.

The development came as Gulf states, including the UAE, have been affected during Iran’s retaliatory campaign linked to the ongoing US-Israeli war on the country.

According to a statement issued on Sunday by the Sharjah Media Office, a fire broke out at Khor Fakkan Port after debris fell following missile interceptions by the UAE’s air defence systems.

The statement said, ‘The competent authorities confirm the outbreak of a fire at the site, and emergency response teams have promptly and efficiently begun addressing it, with the fire now under control and cooling operations underway’.

It further stated that one Nepalese national suffered a serious injury and was shifted to hospital for treatment, while three Pakistani nationals sustained injuries described as minor to moderate. The Sharjah Media Office said, ‘The incident resulted in one person of Nepalese nationality sustaining a severe injury and being transferred to the hospital for medical care, in addition to three individuals of Pakistani nationality sustaining injuries ranging from minor to moderate’.

The latest incident follows other casualties involving Pakistani nationals in the UAE during the ongoing regional conflict. Four Pakistanis have died in the UAE as a result of falling debris from missile interceptions.

The prime minister’s statement underscored Islamabad’s concern over the safety of Pakistani citizens in the Gulf as tensions continue in the region.