Illegal overstay: Staying on too long

Numerous Pakistanis are stuck in Saudi Arabian jails; diplomats make little or no efforts for their quick release.

SUKKUR: He went to Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah, then tried to slip away to find livelihood for his family, and eventually ended up in jail. Jawed Ahmed Shaikh is one of the thousands of Pakistanis who resort to the same and meet a similar fate.

For Shaikh, once was not enough. He has visited Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas thrice and then stayed on illegally, was sent to jail and was then deported to Pakistan.

Sharing his story with The Express Tribune, Shaikh, a resident of Rohri, said that life as a Suzuki driver in Sukkur is not satisfactory. Though he had his own Suzuki and earned Rs500 to Rs800 per day, he thought it was insufficient to feed his family of 12. “Following in the footsteps of my friends, I sold my Suzuki in 2006 and went to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa, and then stayed back, illegally.”

But Shaikh was caught after three months of illegal stay and sent to jail. He was deported within a week. “I made another attempt in 2008 and succeeded in staying in Saudi Arabia for six months, before I was caught and sent to the Jeddah jail and then back to Pakistan,” he said.

In August 2013, he made another attempt. After performing Umrah, he took up work at the fruit and vegetable market in Medina. “I used to earn 50 to 75 riyals per day [Rs1,325 to Rs2,025 per day],” he said. After spending 15 to 20 riyals on meals, he used to save enough money to support his family. “I used to send money to my family through a legal immigrant. Unfortunately, I was caught on January 9, 2014, and was sent to Shamsi jail near Makkah. There were 45 Pakistanis in the barrack with me,” he said.

Life behind bars

According to Shaikh, jails in Saudi Arabia were comfortable. “Jail authorities used to supply good food and their attitude was caring.” But what Shaikh found most disturbing was the fact that they were in a limbo and did not know when they would be deported.

“Diplomats of other countries used to visit the jail frequently to get their citizens released, but Pakistani diplomats visited the jail only once in a month,” he lamented.

“There are thousands of Pakistanis in Saudi jails, looking towards Pakistani diplomats to help them out,” he said, adding that earlier, illegal immigrants were deported to their respective countries within one week of their arrest. However now, Pakistanis are kept for over a month before deportation. Shaikh feels that this is not the fault of the Saudi government, but it is because of the slack attitude of Pakistani diplomats. He appealed to the Pakistan government to direct their diplomats in Saudi Arabia to look after the Pakistanis over there, especially those in jails.

Good deal or bad?

Shaikh was finally released from jail on February 16, 2014 and was deported to Pakistan the next day.

Asked why he did not go to Saudi Arabia through the legal process, he said that firstly it would require him to pay a huge amount to the agent, as well as for the visa. “Secondly, legal immigrants in Saudi Arabia earn less, while the illegal immigrants earn more. Legal immigrants depend upon their Kafeels who often exploit them, while illegal immigrants can work for the man who offers them more.”

According to an official at the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Islamabad, the Saudi government has taken effective measures to discourage illegal immigrants.

“The government does not want to stop anybody from performing Hajj or Umrah,” said the official, requesting anonymity. Those who are deported once or twice can go to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj or Umrah. “They are only banned from entering the country on the basis of a visit visa.”

Answering a question on how illegal immigrants enter Saudi Arabia again after being deported, the official said, “Immigration authorities mark their passports with a deportation stamp. But, illegal immigrants arrange new passports and are able to enter Saudi Arabia again.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2014.