The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) confirmed the expulsion of 10 suspects of Saudi Arabia, who had gone to the kingdom on the Omra visas but which turned out to be begged.
Pakistan fears that these people, who engage in begging abroad, have a negative impact on the experience of legitimate pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia for Omra or Hajj.
Reports suggest that Riyad has raised the problem with Islamabad several times in the past year. In November 2023, the Minister of the Interior Mohin Naqvi assured that a “effective repression” at the national level was underway against the Pakistanis who used Omra or Hajj visas to beg in Saudi Arabia.
In a statement on Sunday, the FIA reported that, in a major operation at Karachi airport, 10 people suspected of beggars under the cover of the OMRA were apprehended.
The suspects, of various districts such as Rajanpur, Naushahro Feroze, Kashmore, Lahore, Peshawar, Mohmand and Larkana, were arrested after their return from Saudi Arabia.
Preliminary surveys have revealed that these people begged in Saudi Arabia for several months. They were transferred to the Karachi anti-human trafficking circle for an additional action.
The FIA pointed out that it closely monitored immigration activities at airports. Passengers traveling abroad are fully verified and legal actions are taken against people involved in begging.
The Pakistanis form the second largest expatriate community in Saudi Arabia, with around 2.5 million Pakistanis who live there. They are also the greatest source of funding for Pakistan.
