TEHRAN- The United Arab Emirates has launched a large-scale expulsion of Pakistani workers, straining ties with Islamabad as Pakistan attempts to mediate an end to the US war on Iran, The New York Times reports.

According to the newspaper, the Emirates appears upset that Pakistan has failed to condemn Iranian strikes on Emirati territory more forcefully while simultaneously brokering peace between Washington and Tehran. 

Interviews with more than 20 Pakistani Shiite workers who were employed by Emirati companies revealed that all had been suddenly arrested, detained, and deported over the past month. Eight business owners based in the Emirates confirmed that their Pakistani employees had been expelled in recent weeks.

Shiite religious leaders in Pakistan estimate that thousands of Shiite Pakistanis — a community of 35 million — have been deported from the UAE since mid-April. The expulsions threaten to cut off a vital source of employment for Pakistan, which has long relied on job opportunities in the Persian Gulf state.