Ali Musa Gilani denies reports of deportation from UAE, calls claim fake news

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party MNA Ali Musa Gilani on Sunday rejected social media claims that he had been deported from the United Arab Emirates, saying the reports were false and that he had travelled and returned according to schedule.

In a post on X, Musa, the son of Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, said: "I was not deported at all, it’s fake news! I travelled as per schedule and returned as per schedule,

The claim had circulated 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."

The post was later deleted.

Gilani seeks action over post

In another X post, Musa again dismissed the deportation reports and said the UAE was honouring its arrangement with Pakistan regarding official and diplomatic passport holders. "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 wrote.

He also shared a photograph that he said was from his recent trip. Referring to the deleted post shared by Haque, Musa tagged the National Cybercrime Investigation Agency, the 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 wrote.

In a subsequent post, Musa said the message "containing inaccurate information" had been removed, and added 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," Musa added.

"Let us support facts over misinformation and take pride in achievements that strengthen Pakistan’s standing in the world," he concluded.

Original claimant posts response

The social media user who first made the deportation allegation later also posted Musa’s denial. "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," he wrote.

"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 further said.

Earlier official statements on UAE deportation reports

Earlier this month, the interior ministry had denied reports of what it described as targeted deportation of Pakistanis from the UAE, saying there were no country- or sect-specific expulsions from any state, including the UAE. The ministry issued the statement after several media outlets reported that Pakistanis were being deported from the Gulf country.

That statement also contradicted claims circulating on social media that Pakistanis were being removed from the UAE without cause. During the Foreign Office’s weekly briefing on May 7, spokesperson Tahir Andrabi was asked about the unusually high number of emergency travel documents, or outpasses, being issued by the Pakistani consulate in the UAE. In response, Andrabi said the trend was mainly linked to administrative action, including immigration status violations and other legal infractions.