Saudi Arabia warns Pakistan to stop beggars from entering country on pilgrim visas

In a news report in Pakistan's Express Tribune, the Saudi authorities have also warned that if the situation is not brought under control, it can adversely affect Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. The report has quoted sources from Pakistan’s ministry of religious affairs.

The newspaper report said that the Saudi ministry of Hajj has issued a warning to Pakistan's ministry of religious affairs, urging them to take action to prevent Pakistani beggars from entering the kingdom with Umrah visas.

Measures to control beggars

After Saudi Arabia's warning, the ministry of religious affairs decided to introduce an Umrah Act to introduce some legal controls on travel agencies organising Umrah trips. Further, the ministry has asked the Pakistan government to come up with strategies to prevent beggars travelling to Saudi under the guise of pilgrims.

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi also assured Saudi Arabia that they will come down strongly on the mafia sending beggars to Saudi. The task of cracking down on this mafia has been entrusted to the Federal Investigative Agency (FIA), he added.

Cracking down on beggars

According to the Pakistan government, the beggars travel to the Middle East on the pretext of going on a pilgrimage and take Umrah visas and then reach the kingdom and start engaging in begging-related activities.

Recently, 11 beggars were offloaded from a Saudi bound flight at Karachi airport, while in September last year, 16 beggars disguised as pilgrims were offloaded from a Saudi Arabia-bound flight. They were arrested for trying to travel to Saudi to beg.

Zeeshan Khanzada, secretary, Overseas Pakistanis admitted that a majority of pickpockets arrested around Mecca’s grand mosque are Pakistanis.