90% of beggars in foreign countries detected as ‘Pakistanis’

During a recent session of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, concerns about skilled and unskilled labor leaving the country were brought to light. Startling revelations indicated that a substantial number of Pakistanis heading abroad are actually local beggars.

Chaired by Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan Kakar, the committee disclosed that a staggering 90% of beggars arrested in foreign countries are of Pakistani origin. This raised alarming questions about the circumstances that drive these individuals to leave their homeland.

Zeeshan Khanzada, Secretary (Overseas Pakistanis), shed light on the issue, revealing that a significant portion of beggars is using religious pilgrimage visas to travel to countries like Iraq and Saudi Arabia, only to misuse them by engaging in begging activities. The problem extends to pickpocketing incidents, with a considerable number of those apprehended in Makkah’s Grand Mosque being Pakistanis.

Iraq and Saudi Arabia have expressed concerns about their prisons becoming overcrowded due to the influx of these unofficial immigrants from Pakistan. This alarming situation has prompted Khanzada to label it as an emerging human trafficking issue, demanding immediate attention.

Additionally, Kakar emphasized the missed opportunities for employment in countries like Japan. Despite Japan’s need for 340,000 skilled workers, only 200 came from Pakistan. In stark contrast, India and Nepal sent 150,000 and 91,000 workers, respectively. Despite Pakistan signing a linguistic agreement with Japan in 2019, the response has been underwhelming.

To address Saudi Arabia’s demand for skilled labor, Pakistan had previously made proposals that were declined. Kakar proposed sending 50,000 trained individuals to meet the labor demands in the region.

Furthermore, Khanzada highlighted that Pakistan lags behind India and Bangladesh in global labor markets. Senator Rehman pointed out that Nepal even sends mountain sherpas to Pakistan due to a skills gap within the local population, underscoring the urgent need for measures to enhance skill development and job opportunities for Pakistanis both at home and abroad.

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