islamabad3 days ago
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Saudi Arabia has warned the Shahbaz government about the increasing number of beggars coming from Pakistan. Every year a large number of people from Pakistan go to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visa (pilgrimage visa) and start begging there.
According to Pakistani website The Tribune Express, the Saudi Haj Ministry has asked Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Ministry to immediately stop it. The ministry said that if the Pakistan government does not do this, it may affect Pakistani Umrah and Haj pilgrims.
Pakistani beggars travel to Gulf countries under the guise of Umrah. They set up base in rich countries like Saudi Arabia and UAE.
Government will bring Umrah Act, strict action will be taken against travel agencies According to the report, Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Ministry has decided to bring ‘Umrah Act’ to stop beggars from being sent to Saudi Arabia. Its objective is to regulate travel agencies that help in obtaining Umrah visas and bring them under legal supervision.
Earlier on Tuesday, there was a meeting between Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed al-Maliki and Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. In this, Naqvi had assured the ambassador that the government would take strict action against the mafias responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia.
According to the report, Home Minister Naqvi believes that such an incident is damaging the image of Pakistan. Now the responsibility has been given to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to crack down on this.
According to the report, only last month, 11 people were caught at Karachi Airport. They were preparing to board a flight going to Saudi. During interrogation it was revealed that their motive was to go there and beg.
Similarly, in October 2023, 16 people aboard a flight were deboarded from the plane at Lahore Airport and arrested. They were also going there to beg.
People arrested at Lahore Airport in October 2023. He was going to Saudi Arabia on a religious trip. Their purpose was to go there and beg.
Last year also Saudi Arabia had complained In the meeting of overseas officials in September last year, Saudi Arabia had asked Pakistan to be careful in giving Haj quota. Saudi officials had asked Pakistan not to send beggars and pickpockets.
Saudi Arabia had said that their jails are full of such people. Even then Pakistani officials had assured to stop it.
90% of the beggars arrested worldwide are of Pakistani origin. According to a September 2023 report by Pakistani website Dawn, 90% of the beggars arrested worldwide are of Pakistani origin. The UAE government is also troubled by the increasing number of these beggars. According to an August report by Dawn, UAE also avoids granting visas to those Pakistanis who do not have enough money in their bank accounts.
In March this year, during the month of Ramadan, Dubai administration had launched a campaign against these beggars. During this period more than 200 people were arrested. Almost half of these were women.