Hundreds of Thousands of Pakistanis Apply for Asylum Abroad

A recent session of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis revealed that approximately 135,000 Pakistanis have applied for political asylum in Western countries over the last two years. Additionally, 52,000 individuals have been deported from neighboring countries, including a significant number from Iran.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, included a briefing by the Director General of Passports, who stated that 125,000 asylum applications were filed by Pakistanis in Europe, while more than 10,000 sought asylum in the United States.

The DG noted that some countries, while not imprisoning undocumented Pakistani arrivals, choose to deport them immediately. He further reported that 34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran in the previous year, with the passports of deportees now blocked. Individuals found guilty of criminal offenses face strict legal consequences.

The committee was also informed that over 10.3 million skilled Pakistani professionals are currently employed abroad.

Officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis shared that Saudi Arabia has recently reduced visa allocations for Pakistani workers and imposed stricter eligibility conditions.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the panel that more than 52,000 Pakistanis have been deported since 2023, including 5,000 individuals involved in begging who were expelled from Saudi Arabia.