Rising concerns among Middle Eastern countries regarding the increasing number of Pakistanis involved in begging have prompted authorities to take action, resulting in stricter screening of passengers traveling to these destinations.
A senior official from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed Dawn that immigration staff at airports have offloaded several passengers from flights in recent months to address this trend. Many of these potential beggars pose as tourists to visit countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iran, Oman, and Turkey.
Pakistani officials have expressed alarm over the growing presence of Pakistani beggars abroad. A high-ranking official recently informed the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that 90% of beggars arrested in foreign countries are of Pakistani origin.
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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has shown a strong commitment to cracking down on human traffickers and the beggar mafia, according to officials.
FIA sources indicated that “gangs” of potential beggars primarily operate from districts in South Punjab, with many departing from Multan airport disguised as religious tourists.
The agency is also targeting human traffickers, particularly in the Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir regions. The crackdown on human traffickers intensified last year after a boat carrying hundreds of Pakistanis sank near Greece.
FIA Gujranwala Region Director Qadir Qamar told Dawn that the agency’s anti-human trafficking cell has arrested around 200 alleged traffickers in the past two months, including those connected to the Greek boat tragedy.
To effectively combat human trafficking and other criminal activities, the Interior Ministry has upgraded the FIA office in Gujranwala to a regional directorate.
