Saudi Arabia Deports Over 5,000 Pakistani Beggars

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior, a total of 5,402 Pakistani beggars have been deported from various countries over the past 16 months. Among these, Saudi Arabia has deported the highest number—5,033 individuals, accounting for nearly 93% of the total.

In addition to Saudi Arabia, Iraq deported 242 beggars, Malaysia 55, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) 49. In the year 2025 alone, 552 Pakistani beggars have been sent back from abroad, including 535 from Saudi Arabia, 9 from the UAE, and 5 from Iraq.

The Ministry of Interior stated that most of these individuals had traveled abroad illegally and became involved in organized begging. The government believes this trend is severely damaging Pakistan’s international image and has therefore begun implementing strict measures to address the issue.

The government's actions include identifying and cracking down on human trafficking rings that send beggars abroad, imposing tighter restrictions on issuing passports and visas to suspected individuals, and treating organized begging as a form of human trafficking punishable by law.

Meanwhile, a new bill has been proposed in Pakistan’s Senate to officially declare “organized foreign begging” a criminal offense. The bill recommends classifying such acts under human trafficking laws, given their exploitative and transnational nature.

Officials say these measures are intended not only to protect Pakistan’s global reputation but also to help curb illegal immigration and human trafficking more effectively.