Senate committee okays bill to raise penalties for beggars

The Senate Standing Committee on Interior has unanimously approved bills increasing penalties for begging and strengthening measures against human smuggling.

The committee, chaired by Senator Faisal Saleem, reviewed and approved the Prevention of Smuggling of Migrants Bill, presented by the government.

During the session, Interior Secretary Khurram Agha highlighted the rising cases of human trafficking, stressing the importance of stricter laws. He stated that the proposed legislation includes measures to ensure stronger convictions and harsher punishments for offenders.

Senator Shahadat Awan supported the move, stating that harsher penalties would prevent suspects from securing easy bail.

Previously, the maximum sentence for human smuggling was seven years, but under the new bill, it will be extended to ten years.

The committee unanimously approved the bill.

Following this, the committee also reviewed and approved a bill increasing punishments for those involved in organised begging.

The Law Ministry clarified that the new legislation not only targets individuals engaging in begging but also those facilitating and forcing others into it.

Under the revised law:

• Facilitators of begging and individuals forcing others to beg will face up to 10 years in prison.
• Stricter measures will be enforced to curb organised begging networks.

The committee unanimously approved the bill, moving it closer to becoming law.

Earlier, the FIA confirmed the deportation of 10 suspects from Saudi Arabia, who had travelled to the Kingdom on Umrah visas but were found to be begging.

Pakistan is concerned that such individuals, who engage in begging abroad, are negatively impacting the experience of legitimate pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah or Hajj.

Reports suggest that Riyadh has raised the issue with Islamabad several times over the past year. In November 2023, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assured that a nationwide "effective crackdown" was underway against Pakistanis who used Umrah or Hajj visas to beg in Saudi Arabia.