Pakistan has faced embarrassment at the international level regarding beggars. Middle East countries are constantly complaining about beggars coming from Pakistan, in view of which the authorities have now started cautiously checking Pakistanis going to the Middle East.
A senior official of Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told Pakistani newspaper ‘Dawn’ that steps are being taken to stop the trend of going abroad to beg. He said that the immigration staff at the airport has deboarded many passengers from flights in the last few months.
He said that beggars come in the guise of tourists to go to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Iran, Oman and Turkey.
Pakistani officials have also expressed concern over the increasing number of Pakistani beggars abroad. A top official told the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that 90 percent of the beggars arrested abroad were of Pakistani origin.
44,000 passengers removed from flight on suspicion of being beggars
At another meeting of the committee earlier this year, the Home Ministry claimed that 44,000 passengers suspected of begging abroad were deboarded from flights and prevented from going to Middle Eastern countries.
FIA sources said that the ‘gangs’ of beggars mainly operate from South Punjab districts, and they go abroad through Multan airport in the guise of religious tourists.
FIA Gujranwala Area Director Qadir Qamar also said that now the airport staff is strictly checking the travel documents and passengers with fake or suspicious documents are not being allowed to go abroad.
UAE is not even giving visa to such Pakistanis
According to travel agents, UAE authorities have also started denying visas to those Pakistanis who do not have enough money in their bank accounts to stay in the UAE.
On one hand, Pakistani officials have claimed action from their side, while on the other hand they have also asked Middle Eastern and Gulf countries to tighten their visa systems.
A senior FIA official said that these countries should also look at their visa processing systems instead of putting pressure on Pakistani authorities to stop potential beggars, criminals and illegal immigrants.
Citing an example, the official said that most western countries ask for bank statements, property and tax documents along with the visa application to ensure that the traveler has enough resources to live in the country on his own.
He said staff at airports now frequently ask passengers traveling to the Middle East about their profession, business and bank accounts to ascertain the purpose of their travel. If any passenger is suspected, he is removed from the plane.