Khawaja Asif blames Gulf visa restrictions on begging mafia
FI
Home Alleges that staff from various government departments deployed at airports are equal partners in illicit business Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif on Monday blamed begging mafia groups for being responsible for the visa restrictions on Pakistanis by Gulf countries. Last year, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) off-loaded 66,154 passengers to curb organised gangs of beggars and illegal immigrants from travelling abroad. The FIA director general told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development that 51,000 of these individuals were stopped due to questionable veracity of their travel documents falling into three main categories: work visas, tourist visas, and Umrah visas. He had highlighted that illegal migration and begging rings were severely damaging Pakistan's international image. He reported that 56,000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia while the United Arab Emirates had also imposed visa restrictions in view of the phenomenon.
Published: February 9, 2026 2:36 pm
Source: The Express Tribune — Read original