Saudi Arabia deported 24,000 Pakistanis for begging this year, says FIA DG

More than 50,000 Pakistani nationals have been offloaded or deported from various countries for begging and other immigration violations, officials revealed during a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Rights.

The committee met under the chairmanship of MNA Agha Rafiullah, where Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed lawmakers on the issue.

The DG FIA said that around 51,000 Pakistanis were offloaded or deported from different countries this year alone. Saudi Arabia deported the highest number, with 24,000 Pakistanis sent back for begging. The United Arab Emirates deported 6,000 Pakistanis, while Azerbaijan deported around 2,500 Pakistani beggars.

Lawmakers were further told that 24,000 Pakistanis traveled to Cambodia this year, of whom 12,000 have not yet returned. Similarly, 4,000 Pakistanis traveled to Myanmar on tourist visas, but 2,500 remain unaccounted for. The FIA chief stated that strict action against illegal travel has helped improve Pakistan’s passport ranking from 118 to 92.

He added that Pakistan was previously among the top five countries for illegal migration, but has now dropped out of that list due to improved policies and enforcement.

Providing additional figures, the DG FIA said that 8,000 Pakistanis illegally traveled to Europe last year, a number that has fallen to 4,000 this year. Overall, he said, Saudi Arabia has deported a total of 56,000 Pakistanis over time for begging.

The committee was also informed of positive developments in travel facilitation. The DG FIA said that Dubai and Germany have granted visa-free access on official Pakistani passports. He added that the “E-Migration” application will be launched by mid-January, enabling passengers traveling abroad to complete immigration clearance 24 hours before departure.