Saudi Arabia has expressed concern to Pakistan about the rising number of Pakistani beggars entering on Umrah visas. The Saudi authorities have warned that this could impact Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims. In response, Pakistan plans to introduce the 'Umrah Act' to regulate travel companies and prevent this practice.
Saudi Arabia has raised concerns about the growing number of Pakistani beggars arriving in the Kingdom under the guise of religious pilgrimage and asked Islamabad to take action to prevent them from entering the Gulf country, a media report said on Tuesday. The Saudi authorities have also issued a warning, according to the Express Tribune newspaper, citing sources from Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs, that if the situation is not under control, it may have a severe impact on Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.
"The Saudi Ministry of Hajj has issued a warning to Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs, urging action to prevent Pakistani beggars from entering the kingdom under Umrah visas," the newspaper reported.
The "Umrah Act," which intends to control travel companies that facilitate Umrah visits and bring them under legal supervision, has been agreed to be introduced by Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs in response, the statement stated. The ministry has also requested that the Pakistani government devise measures to stop beggars from entering Saudi Arabia pretending to be on a religious trip.
Earlier, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi gave Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki the assurance that tough actions will be taken against the mafia that brings beggars to Saudi Arabia. The duty of taking action against this network, which Mohsin claimed was harming Pakistan's reputation, has been given to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Beggars from Pakistan come to the Middle East pretending to be on pilgrimages, or ziarats. According to Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Zeeshan Khanzada last year, the majority of visitors to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas thereafter engage in beggarly-related activities.
The FIA has been directed to crack down on the mafias responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia. During the immigration process, FIA officials questioned the passengers, who admitted that their purpose for visiting Saudi Arabia was to beg. A majority of the pickpockets arrested from within Mecca's grand mosque are Pakistani nationals, Khanzada was quoted as saying in local media.