FIA arrests 10 'beggars' deported from Saudi Arabia at Karachi airport

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested 10 suspects at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport on Sunday after they were deported from Saudi Arabia on charges of begging.

According to an FIA spokesperson, the suspects were allegedly found begging in Saudi Arabia despite traveling on Umrah visas. The individuals arrested hailed from various regions, including Rajanpur, Kashmore, Naushahro Feroze, Lahore, Peshawar, Mohmand, and Larkana.

"The suspects have been moved to the FIA’s anti-human smuggling circle in Karachi for legal action," the spokesperson confirmed.

In response, immigration officers have increased the scrutiny of passengers at all airports across the country, conducting thorough checks on individuals departing for foreign countries.

These actions followed the federal government’s recent decision to criminalize begging by amending the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons Act, 2018, last month. The interior ministry also submitted the Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to expand the existing law by including "organized begging" under Section 3.

The amendment comes amid growing concerns from Pakistan's diplomatic missions in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Iraq, and Malaysia, which have reported incidents of Pakistanis involved in begging, particularly those traveling for Hajj, Umrah, and other religious purposes. The diplomatic missions have urged the Pakistani government to take firm action against those engaged in begging and the networks behind it.

In November 2024, the government added the names of 4,300 beggars to the exit control list (ECL) following discussions between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabia's Ambassador Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al Maliki.

In recent weeks, hundreds of Pakistanis have been deported from Gulf countries due to issues such as irregular documentation, lack of travel funds, procedural failures, criminal activities, and begging.

In response to human smuggling concerns, the government has enforced stricter screening procedures at airports, with the FIA directing its deputy directors of immigration to exercise greater vigilance when clearing passengers for international flights.

The new guidelines call for enhanced profiling of passengers traveling to countries including Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan.