Pakistan has once again found itself at the center of global embarrassment, as 258 of its citizens were deported from seven countries within just 24 hours.
Pakistan often finds itself in the headlines, whether for its leaders like Imran Khan, its economic challenges, U.S. sanctions, or its disputes with Afghanistan. Now, Pakistan has once again found itself at the center of global embarrassment, as 258 of its citizens were deported from seven countries within just 24 hours. The majority of the deportations were from Saudi Arabia, with reasons ranging from involvement in illegal activities and incomplete documentation to allegations of begging.
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Bankrupt Pakistan faces global SHAME as 258 Pakistanis thrown out from 7 countries in just 24 hours due to….,Saudi Arabia gets furious at…
As many as 258 Pakistanis were deported from seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China, in the last 24 hours, officials said. According to the news agency PTI report, a spokesperson of the Immigration department at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport said, among them, 14 had Pakistani passports, while 244 were deported on emergency travel documents.
“We arrested 16 deportees at the Karachi airport, including one with a suspicious identity, while the rest were released after questioning,” he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He said nine of the persons deported from Saudi Arabia were professional beggars. He stated, “Two of them were caught performing Hajj without permits and were sent back after completing their sentences.”
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Earlier in November 2024, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj urged Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs to address the rising issue of Pakistani beggars entering the Kingdom under the guise of religious pilgrimage. According to the The Express Tribune report, Sources within the Ministry of Religious Affairs have reported that Saudi authorities have expressed concerns about an increasing number of Pakistani individuals traveling to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas and engaging in begging activities. The ministry cautioned that if this issue persists, it could adversely impact the reputation and future arrangements for Pakistani pilgrims undertaking Umrah and Hajj.
As per a report published in Dawn on April 26, 2024, Pakistan has an estimated 38 million beggars out of a population of 230 million, with the national average daily income per beggar being Rs 850. In Karachi, a beggar earns an average of 2,000 rupees daily. In Lahore, this amount is 1,400 rupees, and in Islamabad, it is 950 rupees. On average, beggars across the country earn 850 rupees per day.
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He said that many of those deported from Saudi Arabia, and the UAE were working without sponsorship while four were deported on drug charges. One individual each was deported from China, Qatar, Indonesia, Cyprus, and Nigeria.
He stated that the trend of deportations has been rising significantly. In the past 24 hours, the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Immigration Cell offloaded 35 passengers at Karachi airport who were traveling to various destinations.
Passengers heading to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas were offloaded due to the absence of advance hotel bookings and inadequate funds to cover their expenses. Furthermore, passengers planning to travel to Saudi Arabia on work visas were offloaded for failing to present proper documentation. The authorities emphasised that passengers must ensure they have complete documentation, proper visas, advance bookings, and sufficient funds to avoid such incidents.
