The government has suffered significant embarrassment as a result of a recent revelation made by the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis during a briefing to the Senate. The startling statistic that 90 percent of beggars detained abroad are Pakistanis, notably in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq, not only raises questions about human trafficking but also has significant effects on our country’s reputation around the world. It is really regrettable that pilgrim visas are being abused for such purposes, and it is also alarming that pickpockets are mostly Pakistanis at Masjid al-Haram, a place of great veneration. To make matters worse, Japan has recently been a popular location for such operations, which has increased the difficulty. To make matters worse, Japan has recently been a popular location for such operations, which has increased the difficulty.
The committee was briefed by Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Zeeshan Khanzada that Pakistani beggars migrate to Saudi Arabia and Iraq under the pretence of ziarat (pilgrimage). Most people enter Saudi Arabia on visas for Umrah and engage in beggarly pursuits afterwards, the official claimed.
Pakistani nationals make up the majority of pickpockets detained within Makkah’s grand mosque, he continued.
The prisons in Iraq and Saudi Arabia have been swamped, according to their ambassadors, who have complained to us. This is because Pakistani beggars have entered the country illegally.
Khanzada added that this problem now falls under the heading of human trafficking.
Chairman Kakar informed the members of his thoughts on using Pakistan’s enormous human resource potential and informed them that just 200 Pakistanis had went to Japan after the island nation had floated a request.
The state needs to consider what drives such desperate actions. As a reflex, one can attribute poverty to the situation. In fact, the World Bank estimates that by 2023, approximately 40% of Pakistan’s population would be living in poverty. It will not suffice to just distribute cash handouts through the nation’s premier social safety net, the Benazir Income Support Programme. The recipients must also receive a skills-based education in order for them to not only rise above the poverty level but also achieve self-sufficiency. The problem extends beyond alleviating poverty. Don’t forget to consider how professional beggars, if they can be called that, transport their begging bowls to other countries. If there are human trafficking rings operating, they must be dealt with harshly and dismantled. Furthermore, appropriate exit checks must be implemented, while also making sure that legitimate tourists are not harassed. Most importantly, we must move forward by creating opportunities for respectable employment at home. Let’s reinvent our history to highlight the enormous potential of our people rather than to reinforce false preconceptions.
