Pakistan has drawn sharp international criticism after over 5,400 of its nationals were reportedly deported for begging in the past 16 months, especially from Saudi Arabia, which expelled 5,033 individuals alone.

What’s striking is that many of these individuals travelled abroad using Umrah and Hajj pilgrimage visas, only to exploit them for street begging in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, causing serious concern among foreign governments.

The Saudi Ministry of Religious Affairs formally urged Islamabad to crack down on this misuse, warning it may affect future Hajj and Umrah visa quotas for Pakistani pilgrims.

The situation has now become a diplomatic embarrassment for Pakistan, as legal travellers, students, and workers from the country are increasingly facing visa denials due to this growing trend.

A Beggar-Exporting Network: Pakistan's Latest Crisis

According to Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, this is not an isolated issue but one driven by organised mafia networks, which facilitate the international travel of beggars, often through manipulated documents and visa fraud.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) recently offloaded 11 suspected beggars from a Saudi-bound flight in Karachi, indicating growing internal enforcement.

Countries like Iraq (247 deportations), UAE (58), Malaysia, Oman, and Qatar have also deported hundreds of Pakistanis for similar offences.

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Fallout for Genuine Travellers and Pakistan’s Image

The visa misuse is not just tarnishing Pakistan’s image globally but also punishing its law-abiding citizens.

The issue has reached such levels that even Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted in April that nearly 20 million people in Pakistan are dependent on begging, with a monthly economy of over Rs 42 billion Pakistani rupees in the informal sector.

Overseas Ministry officials further confirmed in Parliament that 90% of beggars arrested abroad were Pakistani nationals.

Lying during Operation Sindoor, Begging from IMF

This latest international disgrace follows closely after Pakistan's failed attempts to mislead the global community during India’s Operation Sindoor.

Ironically, while Pakistani nationals are being expelled for street begging, the Pakistani government continues to ‘beg’ global lenders.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released another bailout tranche of $1.023 billion, part of a larger loan package to prevent economic collapse. With $130 billion in external debt, 22% of it owed to China, Pakistan’s credibility on the global stage continues to erode.

A Country Exporting Instability

Pakistan has long been exporting terrorism, but now it finds itself exporting beggars, further damaging its reputation. 

As the economic crisis deepens and international patience wears thin, the fallout of this issue may well mark an unprecedented low.