While other nations intensify airport scrutiny due to terror threats or fleeing citizens, Pakistan faces a unique and bizarre situation. With the country grappling with an economic crisis, immigration staff are deployed at airports to catch individuals leaving as ‘tourists’ seeking a better life in Gulf nations. A report by Dawn highlights the situation, quoting a senior Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official who revealed that over the past months, numerous ‘beggars disguised as tourists’ were intercepted and forced to disembark flights bound for Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Iran, Oman, and Turkey.
The issue of Pakistani beggars in the Middle East is growing. A top official informed the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that 90% of beggars detained abroad are Pakistani. According to FIA sources, ‘gangs’ of potential beggars, mainly operating from south Punjab districts, disguise themselves as religious tourists and depart from Multan airport. Earlier this year, Pakistan’s interior ministry admitted to having disembarked 44,000 passengers in the past two and a half years due to suspicions of them posing as tourists while seeking entry to Gulf countries.
The consequences are hitting genuine visitors as Gulf nations tighten visa restrictions for Pakistani travelers. The UAE, for instance, is verifying visas rigorously and reportedly denying those who lack sufficient funds in their accounts to prove their genuine tourist status.
Responding to the situation, a senior FIA officer suggested Gulf countries reconsider their visa processing systems instead of solely relying on Pakistani authorities to curb potential beggars, criminals, and illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, FIA Gujranwala region Director Qadir Qamar confirmed that airport staff are offloading passengers presenting fake or suspicious travel documents.
Beyond stopping beggars from fleeing, Pakistan is also collaborating with foreign nations, particularly Middle Eastern countries, to bring back wanted criminals. The Punjab police have repatriated numerous criminals sought for serious offenses from Dubai in recent years. These criminals, mainly hailing from central Punjab districts, were apprehended through Interpol and handed over to their respective district police.
The FIA is actively combating human trafficking rings operating in Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The crackdown intensified following the sinking of a boat last year carrying hundreds of Pakistanis near Greece. Qamar mentioned that the FIA’s anti-human trafficking unit has arrested nearly 200 suspected traffickers, including those linked to the Greek boat incident, over the past two months.
The situation paints a challenging picture for Pakistan, which is not only trying to address its own economic woes but also facing scrutiny from foreign nations regarding its citizens’ activities abroad. The ‘tourist’ beggar phenomenon highlights the desperation fueled by economic hardship and the complex challenges Pakistan faces in managing its population’s aspirations for a better life.
