Pakistan has placed as many as 4,300 beggars on the Exit Control List (no fly list) after receiving a stern warning from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries for “exporting” destitute people.
In September, Saudi Arabia had expressed growing concerns about the increasing number of Pakistani nationals arriving in the Kingdom under the guise of religious pilgrimage, only to engage in begging activities.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi informed Saudi Arabian Deputy Interior Minister Nasser Bin Abdulaziz Al Dawood about the measures taken by his country against the 'mafia' responsible for sending beggars to the Kingdom, according to reports quoting Pakistani daily Dawn.
The report also spoke about a zero-tolerance policy had been adopted by Pakistan against beggars going to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Ministry of Hajj had formally warned about the increasing number of beggars entering Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas.
What happened in September?
According to a report in Dawn, as many as 90 percent of beggars arrested in foreign countries belong to Pakistan.
This issue has prompted Saudi authorities to call on Islamabad to take immediate action to curb this trend, warning that failure to do so could have negative consequences for legitimate Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.
Not a first time issue
This is not the first time the issue has come to light. Last year, Secretary of Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Arshad Mahmood pointed out that several Gulf countries had expressed concerns about the behavior of some Pakistani nationals, particularly in relation to work ethics, attitudes, and involvement in criminal activities.
Last September, 16 beggars disguised as pilgrims were arrested while attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan's Solution
Pakistan announced plans to introduce an "Umrah Act." It is a law that regulates travel agencies that facilitate Umrah trips. The Pakistani Ministry of Religious Affairs introduced the act to bring these agencies under legal oversight and to prevent beggars from traveling to Saudi Arabia under the guise of religious pilgrimage. The Ministry is also collaborating with other government bodies to find effective ways to prevent beggars from exploiting religious visas to enter Saudi Arabia.
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