Islamabad:
It was revealed during the meeting of a parliamentary panel that around 135,000 Pakistanis have requested political asylum in Western countries in the past two years. The committee was also informed that 52,000 Pakistanis had been expelled from neighboring countries, including Iran, during the same period.
The Pakistani senatorial committee abroad held a meeting on Tuesday. During the session, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, the Director General of Passports revealed that 125,000 Pakistanis in Europe and more than 10,000 in the United States had asked for the political asylum.
He informed the committee that some countries did not take prison from Pakistani nationals who arrive there by illegal means but immediately returned to Pakistan.
“34,000 Pakistanis was expelled from Iran last year. The passports of expelled people were blocked, while people involved in criminal activities have strict sanctions,” he said.
The DG noted that more than 10.3 million qualified Pakistani professionals are currently working abroad.
Earlier, officials from the Overseas Pakistani Ministry said that Saudi Arabia had reduced the number of visas issued to Pakistanis and tightened the eligibility criteria.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has informed the Committee that since 2023, more than 52,000 Pakistanis have been expelled, including 5,000 beggars expelled from Saudi Arabia.
