Saudi Kicks Out 56,000 Pakistani Beggars; Embarrassed Islamabad Stops 66,000 Travellers

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, two of Pakistan's most significant economic and religious partners, have significantly tightened entry requirements and intensified scrutiny of Pakistani nationals. This decisive action comes in response to escalating concerns over sophisticated organised begging rings and associated criminal activities, a trend that Pakistani authorities admit is severely harming the country's international standing and diplomatic relations.

The scale of the issue is staggering, revealing a persistent and well-oiled underground industry. Despite concerted efforts including no-fly lists, stringent visa restrictions, official warnings, and mass deportations, networks continue to facilitate the flow of Pakistani nationals to Gulf nations with the primary intent of begging.

Official figures presented recently to a Pakistani parliamentary committee illuminate the crisis: Saudi Arabia has deported approximately 56,000 Pakistanis for begging-related offences. In a parallel domestic effort to stem the tide, Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded a remarkable 66,154 suspected passengers from outbound flights in 2025 alone, preventing them from travelling abroad after intercepting them at airports.

The situation reached a new diplomatic pitch last month when the UAE, a major destination for Pakistani expatriates and tourists, implemented a sweeping measure to stop issuing visit visas to most Pakistani citizens. Emirati authorities cited specific worries about individuals arriving under false pretences only to engage in begging and other illicit activities. This move represents a serious economic and social repercussion, potentially affecting legitimate travellers, businesspeople, and families.

These revelations follow Islamabad's placement of thousands of citizens on its Exit Control List (ECL), a no-fly mechanism designed to stop suspected individuals at the border. The problem is not new to bilateral forums. In 2024, the Saudi government formally requested that Pakistani authorities take immediate action to prevent beggars from misusing Umrah visas-a sacred pilgrimage permit-to travel to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina for the purpose of soliciting alms.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Religious Affairs had warned that a failure to curb this exploitative practice could negatively impact the mobility and experience of genuine Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims, adding a profound religious dimension to the diplomatic friction.

FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar has been vocal about the severe reputational damage inflicted by these networks. He emphasised that the pattern is not confined to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. "These networks are causing reputational damage to Pakistan," Mukhtar stated, noting that similar trafficking routes have been detected for Africa and Europe, alongside the misuse of tourist visas to Southeast Asian nations like Thailand and Cambodia. He provided further alarming statistics for the current period: besides the historic deportations, Saudi Arabia has deported 24,000 Pakistanis this year on allegations of begging, while Dubai has repatriated about 6,000, and Azerbaijan roughly 2,500.

The phenomenon has transcended administrative concern to become a subject of serious legal and social analysis within Pakistan. Renowned attorney and commentator Rafia Zakaria, writing in Dawn last year, characterised overseas begging as a highly structured criminal enterprise rather than mere acts of individual desperation.

"One industry in Pakistan that seems to be very organised and has been quite successful in ensuring that its recruits have plenty to do is the begging industry. It is such a successful venture that it has now decided to start exporting to, and expanding in, other countries," she observed. Zakaria added, "As many Pakistanis may have seen for themselves during Haj, these beggars set up shop outside the holy places in Makkah and Madinah, where they harass foreign pilgrims for money just as they do shoppers in markets across Pakistan."

Government officials have corroborated this analysis of a professionalised racket. In 2024, Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis Zeeshan Khanzada revealed that an overwhelming 90% of beggars detained in various West Asian countries were Pakistani nationals. This statistic underscores the targeted nature of the Gulf states' recent visa and scrutiny measures.

The tightening of visa regimes by key Gulf partners poses a multifaceted challenge for Pakistan. It threatens to tarnish the image of the millions of hard-working, law-abiding Pakistani expatriates who form the backbone of remittance flows-a critical source of foreign currency.

It also risks creating broader travel inconveniences for legitimate Pakistani citizens. The government now faces mounting pressure to dismantle the trafficking networks operating with impunity, which requires not only enhanced border surveillance by the FIA but also deeper investigations into the kingpins organising these trips, addressing the socio-economic vulnerabilities they exploit, and launching a concerted public diplomacy campaign to repair the country's damaged international credibility. The response to this crisis will be a critical test of Pakistan's administrative will and its ability to safeguard its diplomatic and economic relationships in a vital region.