Pakistani Umrah pilgrims may face stricter visa regulations as authorities crack down on beggars entering Saudi Arabia under the guise of religious pilgrims.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) of Pakistan has been instructed to address the mafias responsible for sending these beggars to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Ministry has urged Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs to take immediate action to prevent further exploitation of Umrah visas.
Saudi officials are particularly worried that the influx of beggars entering the country on Umrah visas could damage the reputation of genuine Pakistani pilgrims, potentially leading to more visa rejections for those planning to undertake the pilgrimage.
In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced plans to introduce an “Umrah Act.” This new legislation will bring travel agencies under stricter regulation to ensure that only legitimate pilgrims are granted visas. The act will also help monitor travel agencies to curb the misuse of Umrah visas for unlawful purposes.
The Pakistani government has also been enlisted to help stop the flow of beggars using religious pilgrimage visas.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently assured Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki that the government would take necessary measures to combat this issue.
In a recent move, the FIA offloaded 11 suspected beggars from a Saudi-bound flight at Karachi airport after they confessed their intention to beg in the kingdom.
Dr. Arshad Mahmood, Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis, highlighted the growing concern during a Senate committee meeting.
He mentioned that several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, have expressed concerns over the behavior and work ethics of some Pakistani workers, contributing to the heightened scrutiny of Pakistani nationals abroad.
As a result, Pakistani pilgrims could face increased difficulties in obtaining Umrah visas until stricter measures are in place to prevent the misuse of these visas for unlawful activities.
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The tradition of begging, particularly around the Kaaba in Makkah, has become a pressing concern over the past 15 years, driven by complex social and economic factors in Arabic-speaking poor Muslim neighbouring countries of Saudi Arabia. However, the blame placed solely on Pakistan for the beggars is a reflection of Saudi Arabia’s eagerness to address the issue, albeit with a soft spot for the beggars from its nearby Muslim countries like Yemen, Egypt and Sudan. Previously, beggars from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were prominently involved in the organised crime of begging due to the socio-economic factors in those countries. However, the economy in Bangladesh and India has improved, but Pakistan’s economic condition has declined, creating a favourable situation for the criminals who operate organised beggar gangs. They send the group of professional beggars as Umrah and Haj pilgrims for their wrongful gains. They don’t think about the honour of their country and the bad names their country earns through their shameful acts. While Islam historically promotes charity through zakat and sadaqah, public begging is discouraged. Although Saudi authorities currently regulate visible begging to prevent it, it has not been under control because of the game of hide-and-seek played by beggars. Such acts and practices reflect broader social disparities, despite Islam encouraging egging and channelising charity to ensure assistance reaches those in need. It should be the respective consulate’s duty to verify the pilgrims’ social status by scrutinising their passports and the number of their visits for the pilgrimage compared to their financial and social status. However, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to do that because of the vast earnings through visas and the flourishing hotel and restaurant business over the years. However, reforms are a continuous process, and those must continue provided the Saudi police strictly implement its government policy of zero tolerance towards the organised malady.