Saudi Arabia’s warning, now Pakistan has to take action against thousands of its beggars

New Delhi: Pakistani beggars have been embarrassing their country at the global level by begging in the Gulf country Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabian government has repeatedly complained to Pakistan about this and has also warned them. Now Pakistan has informed Saudi Arabia about its action taken against the beggars. On Wednesday, Pakistan said that it has taken major action against the mafia that sends beggars to Saudi.

Pakistan’s Home Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi met Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Home Minister Dr. Nasser bin Abdulaziz Al Dawood on Wednesday and informed him about the Pakistani government’s action against beggars. The Pakistani Home Minister told the Saudi minister that the names of about 4,300 beggars have been put on the Exit Control List , which means that these beggars cannot leave the country and go anywhere else. He said that Pakistan is adopting a ‘zero tolerance’ policy towards beggars going to Saudi Arabia.

In September 2023, officials said that Pakistani beggars travel to countries like Iraq and Saudi Arabia on the pretext of ‘ziarat’ (pilgrimage) and then get involved in begging. According to official figures, 90 percent of the beggars arrested in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait are Pakistani citizens. Officials said that about 2 million Pakistanis live in Saudi Arabia and 400,000 people visit there every year. Saudi officials had also asked Pakistan not to send ‘beggars and sick people’ to its country.

At the end of September this year, Saudi Arabia had warned Pakistan about beggars. Saudi had said that Pakistan should crack down on beggars and if this is not done then restrictions can be imposed. The Kingdom had also appealed to the Pakistani government to find ways so that beggars cannot enter Saudi Arabia on the pretext of religious travel. In view of Saudi Arabia’s complaints, Pakistan has given the responsibility of cracking down on beggars to its National Investigation Agency. The agency has also taken action against those who go to Saudi to beg.