He highlighted that illegal migration and begging rings were seriously damaging Pakistan’s international image.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif. PHOTO: APP/File
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday blamed mafia begging groups for being responsible for visa restrictions on Pakistanis by Gulf countries.
Last year, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) disembarked 66,154 passengers to prevent organized gangs of beggars and illegal immigrants from traveling abroad.
The FIA director general told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistan and Human Resource Development that 51,000 of these people were detained due to the questionable veracity of their travel documents which fall into three main categories: work visas, tourist visas and Umrah visas.
He highlighted that illegal migration and begging rings were seriously damaging Pakistan’s international image. It reported that 56,000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia, while the United Arab Emirates had also imposed visa restrictions in view of the phenomenon.
In a post on
Staff of various government departments deployed at airports were equal partners in the illicit trade, facilitating the movement of beggars abroad and benefiting from the operation, the Defense Minister alleged.
