The government will block the passports of over 2,000 Pakistani beggars who hurt Pakistan’s image by begging in foreign countries.
According to sources, the director general of immigration and passports has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for details about these people. The ministry will gather lists of beggars from Pakistani missions abroad to identify and act against those involved.
The Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are working together to create a policy to address this issue. Officials stated that many of these beggars travel to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq, pretending to perform Umrah or visit religious shrines.
Besides blocking the passports of beggars for seven years, the government will also target agents who help them travel abroad. These agents’ passports will also be blocked, stopping their operations.
Data collection on individuals traveling abroad for begging is already in progress.
This data will help develop the new policy. Authorities believe that blocking the passports of beggars and their facilitators will reduce incidents and discourage others from similar activities.