Pakistani National Begging in Saudi Arabia Sparks Controversy

The viral video shows a Pakistani national asking for charity on the streets of Saudi Arabia, along with the caption.

Pakistan's Ministry of Overseas during a session with a parliamentary panel in September 2023 had discussed this matter. Ex-Secretary Zulfikar Haider said that a staggering 90 percent of beggars arrested in foreign nations hail from Islamic republic of Pakistan.

Last year, Haider told the Senate Committee on Overseas Pakistanis about the human trafficking routes used by beggars seeking opportunities abroad, highlighting the misuse of pilgrim visas for countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq.

According to the Nation News of Pakistan, beggars have been removed from flights in Pakistan, and complaints of begging in Saudi Arabia post-Umrah are frequent. This trend damages Pakistan's international image, sparking debates in the Senate's sub-committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development.

All in all, Such sort of incidents are tarnishing Pakistan's reputation in the global community and straining the relationship between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.