Middle East conflict fails to deter Gulf job exodus

KARACHI: Despite the war in the Gulf region, Pakistani workers continued to leave for jobs in countries directly affected by the conflict, particularly during March.

Official data showed that during January-May, over 300,000 Pakistanis found employment in Middle Eastern states led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The largest number of Pakistani workers left for Saudi Arabia, while around 50,000 emigrated to the UAE, one of the countries most affected by the war.

According to data released by the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, 143,586 Pakistanis left for Saudi Arabia during the five-month period, the highest number for any single destination country. Saudi Arabia was also drawn into the conflict and reportedly faced multiple attacks by Iran targeting American facilities in the kingdom.

Although the war, which began on Feb 28, ended after about a month following a ceasefire, intermittent strikes by the US and Israel, as well as retaliatory attacks by Iran, continued to fuel uncertainty across the region. Concerns were further heightened by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and heightened maritime tensions.

Over 300,000 Pakistanis found employment in ME states in Jan-May, led by Saudi Arabia and UAE

Despite these developments, Pakistanis continued to seek employment opportunities in Gulf countries.

The UAE remained a key destination. Dubai, which was considered among the potential targets during the conflict, received thousands of Pakistani workers during the first five months of 2026. Total emigration to the UAE during the period stood at around 50,000. During the conflict in March, hundreds of Pakistanis were also seen queuing outside the Dubai consulate in Karachi to obtain visas.

Bahrain and Qatar, which were also considered vulnerable during the conflict, continued to attract Pakistani workers.

The data showed that about 25,500 Pakistanis left for Qatar, while 10,129 migrated to Bahrain during January-May.

The continued outflow of workers may have helped sustain remittance inflows, which had earlier been expected to weaken. Remittances reached a record $4.2 billion in May, while total inflows by the end of FY26 are expected to exceed the $40bn target.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2026