The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has issued a warning to Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, urging action to prevent Pakistani beggars from entering the kingdom under Umrah visas.
According to sources from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Saudi authorities have raised concerns about the growing number of Pakistani beggars arriving in Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas. The ministry warned that if the situation is not controlled, it could negatively affect Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.
In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has decided to introduce an "Umrah Act," which aims to regulate travel agencies facilitating Umrah trips, bringing them under legal oversight.
Additionally, the ministry has reached out to the Pakistani government to find ways to prevent beggars from traveling to Saudi Arabia under the guise of religious pilgrimage.
Earlier in a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki, Mohsin assured the Saudi envoy that strict measures would be implemented against the mafia responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been tasked with cracking down on this network, which Mohsin said is damaging Pakistan’s image.
The issue was highlighted by Dr Arshad Mahmood, Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis, during a Senate Standing Committee meeting on Overseas Pakistanis.
Dr Arshad pointed out that several Gulf countries have expressed concerns regarding the behaviour of overseas Pakistanis, particularly in areas of work ethics, attitudes, and involvement in criminal activities. These reservations are reportedly affecting the reputation of Pakistani workers abroad, leading to increased scrutiny from Gulf employers and authorities.
The FIA has been directed to crack down on the mafias responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia. A month ago FIA offloaded 11 alleged beggars from a Saudi Arabia-bound flight at Karachi airport.During the immigration process, FIA officials questioned the passengers, who admitted that their purpose for visiting Saudi Arabia was to beg.
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Pakistani government should urgently introduce a department like a Saudi councilate in every major city for screening applications and conduct visa interviews of every single applicant pilgrim for hajj and Umrah.