The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has told the National Assembly, in a written reply, that 21,647 Pakistanis are held in prisons across 72 countries.
Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar informed the house during Question Hour that the United Arab Emirates has the largest number of Pakistani prisoners, with 5,297 held in its jails.
Saudi Arabia ranks second, with 4,775 Pakistani nationals imprisoned in various jails across the country, according to the written response.
The reply also said that 738 Pakistanis are being held in different prisons in India. The figures were provided in answer to a National Assembly question about Pakistani citizens imprisoned overseas.
