FO urges Pakistani nationals residing in Gulf region to remain vigilant, follow official guidance
Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026. Photo: Reuters
The Foreign Office (FO) on Sunday issued an official advisory for Pakistani nationals in the Middle East and Persian Gulf, and activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) amid escalating regional tensions after the United States (US) and Israel launched an attack on Iran that resulted in the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
A day earlier, Pakistani national in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was killed during the interception of an Iranian missile, following joint US and Israeli strikes on the Islamic Republic that prompted retaliatory attacks.
The Foreign Office (FO) condemned the unfortunate death, while the UAE extended its sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the family and relatives of the Pakistani national, expressing full solidarity with them and emphasising that targeting civilians and civilian objects is condemned under all legal and humanitarian standards.
🔊PR No.5️⃣9️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣
Official Advisory on the Situation in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf pic.twitter.com/aaIe8WhXDv
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) March 1, 2026
In todays’s statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said it had activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to monitor developments and provide assistance to citizens abroad.
“In view of the evolving regional situation, the MOFA has activated its Crisis Management Unit (CMU) to closely monitor developments and extend all necessary assistance. The CMU is operational 24/7 and for information or emergency assistance, please contact the CMU: +92-51-9207887,” said the statement.
The government urged Pakistani nationals residing in the Gulf region to remain vigilant and follow official guidance issued by host authorities.
“All Pakistani nationals residing in the Gulf region are strongly advised to exercise utmost caution, remain indoors where possible, avoid unnecessary travel, and strictly adhere to the instructions and advisories issued by the respective host governments.”
The FO added that emergency contact details of Pakistani embassies and consulates in the region had been made available to facilitate citizens requiring assistance.
A day earlier, the US and Israel jointly launched strikes on Iran that pushed the Middle East into renewed military confrontation and further dimmed hopes for a diplomatic solution to the West’s long-standing effort to denuclearise Iran, despite Tehran’s repeated assertions that it will not pursue nuclear weapons.
In response, Iran targeted Israel and US bases in the Middle East. Explosions were reported in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar.
Read More: More strikes aimed at Iran after US, Israeli assault kills supreme leader Khamenei
Later, Iranian state media confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed in strikes by Israel and the US, and announced 40 days of public mourning in the Islamic Republic.
Hours after the United States and Israel said that an air strike killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as part of the most ambitious series of attacks on Iran in decades, Iranian state media confirmed the 86-year-old leader’s death on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said the air strikes, launched on Saturday, on Iranian targets were aimed at ending a decades-long threat from Iran and ensuring it could not develop a nuclear weapon as he sought to justify a risky gambit that seemed to go against his professed opposition to American involvement in complex overseas conflicts.
