Pakistan has placed 4,300 beggars on its Exit Control List (ECL) amid concerns over the increasing number of Pakistani beggars in Saudi Arabia.
This action followed discussions between Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Interior Minister, alongside the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, Nawaf bin Saeed Ahmed Al-Maliki. The talks aimed to enhance bilateral relations and addressed various issues, including the exchange of paramilitary forces and police personnel and joint training initiatives. Minister Naqvi also proposed making Islamabad and Riyadh twin cities, a suggestion that received positive feedback from the Saudi delegates.
During the meeting, the officials tackled the pressing issue of organized groups facilitating the illegal travel of beggars from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia. Naqvi emphasized a strict “zero-tolerance” policy against such networks and announced the ongoing nationwide efforts to dismantle these operations.
Naqvi reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening its ties with Saudi Arabia, referring to the nation as a “brotherly Islamic country.”
This measure comes in response to recent alerts from Saudi authorities about the influx of Pakistani beggars on Hajj and Umrah visas, prompting a call for rigorous actions by Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.
