From foreign countries to many Gulf countries during the pilgrimage season Beggars It is customary to arrive. Many are living well in their homeland. However, this flow to the Gulf countries is aimed at the huge amount of money received through begging. It is a regular occurrence that the mafia, which works to transport and control them during the pilgrimage, also gets a place in the news. This time, Saudi Arabia has come forward with a tough stance against beggars from Pakistan.
Saudi Arabia this week asked Pakistan to stop the misuse of Umrah visas by beggars to reach the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for begging. This trend of beggars misusing visas to beg in foreign countries is a cause for concern for Pakistan and Pakistani visa seekers.
That concern is not misplaced. Pakistan’s Express Tribune reported on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has warned that if the situation is not brought under control, it will adversely affect Pakistani Umrah and Haj pilgrims. International media reports that Saudi Arabian streets are full of Pakistani beggars.
Saudis see fake beggars as exploiters of pilgrims. It is not only Saudi Arabia, but Pakistani beggars are found in many Middle East countries, including the UAE. Last September, Overseas Pakistanis Secretary Zeeshan Khanzada said that 90 percent of beggars imprisoned in West Asian countries were from Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Geo News quoted Urdu Khanzada as reporting last September that ambassadors in Iraq and Saudi Arabia told them that Pakistani beggars travel abroad on Umrah visas in the name of Ziyarat (pilgrimage) and then beg on the streets.
∙ Mafia network behind export of beggars
Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi revealed that this is not the work of one person and mafia is working behind it. Naqvi said in a meeting with Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al Malki that strict action will be taken against the mafias who send beggars to Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan has tasked the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) with busting this network of sending beggars abroad. An FIA official told Dawn that immigration officials at Pakistan’s international airports are being more vigilant about passengers traveling regularly to the Middle East for short periods.
An FIA official said that if there is any doubt, the passengers will be disembarked from the aircraft. A month ago, FIA dropped 11 beggars from Karachi airport from a flight to Saudi Arabia.
∙ Pakistani beggars and the visa crisis
Beggars are now a big headache not only for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia or people of other Middle Eastern countries but also for Pakistanis. This comes amid an economic crisis in Pakistan and a record number of people seeking employment abroad legally.
“Legitimate travelers, students and workers applying for valid visas are subjected to extra scrutiny at foreign embassies and are regularly denied visas,” writes Rafia Zakaria in Dawn.
Zakaria says millions of Pakistanis who cannot even think of begging abroad are stuck at home with their passports because of some miscreants. Also, Pakistan wants Middle Eastern and Gulf countries to tighten their visa checks to stop importing Pakistani beggars.
“Instead of forcing Pakistani authorities to stop beggars, criminals and illegal immigrants, these countries should look into their visa processing system,” a senior FIA officer told Dawn.
In July, Geo News had reported how employers in the Gulf countries prefer to hire workers from other regional countries like Bangladesh instead of Pakistan. It was because of the ‘deplorable quality of Pakistani labour’.
The overall image of Pakistanis abroad is not encouraging for job seekers from Pakistan. Not only are countries like Saudi Arabia exporting beggars, but Pakistanis seeking opportunities abroad legally are facing a major setback as they face increasing visa checks and refusals.
