The United Arab Emirates has launched a large-scale expulsion of Pakistani workers, threatening a vital source of jobs and remittances for Pakistan. More than 20 Pakistani Shia workers interviewed by the Times said they were suddenly arrested, detained and deported in the past month. Community leaders estimate thousands have been deported since mid-April.

The diplomatic rift stems from Pakistan's efforts to broker a peace deal between the United States and Iran. The UAE, hit by thousands of Iranian missiles and drones, appears upset that Pakistan did not condemn Iranian attacks more forcefully. Last month, the UAE recalled a $3.5 billion loan to Pakistan — nearly a fifth of its foreign reserves. Saudi Arabia stepped in with a $3 billion deposit.

More than two million Pakistanis live in the Emirates, sending over $8 billion in remittances last year. Workers describe being sent home without belongings or explanation. At least 100 laborers from Punjab Province, most of them Shia, were deported in recent weeks. One Islamabad-based cleric said his organization registered 5,000 deported families. The Pakistani foreign ministry denies mass deportations, claiming only criminals were expelled.

The situation leaves Pakistan in an impossible position. "The UAE was shocked that Pakistan did not support them against Iran, and Pakistan was shocked that the UAE was shocked," said Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani diplomat. With $8 billion in annual remittances at stake, Pakistani workers have become collateral damage in a geopolitical dispute.