Another Low! 56,000 Pakistani Beggars Deported By Saudi Arabia For Violating No-Fly List To Beg Abroad

Pakistan has been in the limelight again-this time for begging. Saudi Arabia has deported thousands of Pakistani nationals over allegations of organised begging where around 56,000 Pakistanis were deported, as per data. 

Strict warnings by Islamabad to restrict overseas travel and curb the misuse of visas, and domestic no-fly lists could not stop the Pakistanis from begging in Saudi Arabia, which has two of Islam's holiest places.

The sight of Pakistani beggars crowding Saudi Arabian streets, especially in the cities of Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, is common, and has turned into a menace.

The deportations of 56,000 Pakistanis comes in place amid growing concern in several West Asian countries over visitors travelling from Pakistan and engaging in begging and other illegal activities, prompting tighter visa rules and increased scrutiny of Pakistani travellers.

56,000 Deportations

Even as efforts were stepped up to curb the trend, Pakistani officials revealed Saudi Arabia has deported around 56,000 Pakistani nationals for involvement in organised begging. These numbers were released by a Pakistani parliamentary panel in the National Assembly months after Islamabad placed thousands of citizens on the Exit Control List (ECL), effectively barring them from travelling abroad.

As per official figures cited in local media reports, 66,154 passengers were offloaded from outbound flights to prevent organised begging rings and illegal migrants from leaving the country in 2025 by Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), chief Riffat Mukhtar, revealed that "56,000 Pakistanis involved in organised begging were recently deported from Saudi Arabia," stated local media reports.

Amid concerns over engaging in criminal activity and begging, United Arab Emirates had last month curtailed visa issuance for most Pakistani citizens and the growing menace did hurt genuine Pakistani pilgrims, workers and students facing tighter visa scrutiny and rejections.

Saudi Arabia had earlier urged Pakistan to stop beggars from misusing Umrah visas to enter the holy cities of Mecca and Medina as they claimed they were travelling for Umrah, but investigations suggested they intended to overstay or engage in begging.

4,000 Beggars On No-Fly List

Last November, the government placed 4,300 beggars on the Exit Control List after after Iraqi and Saudi diplomats reportedly told Islamabad that their prisons are overcrowded with Pakistani beggars. Pakistani nationals accounted for a significant number of pickpockets arrested at Mecca’s Grand Mosque in 2023, too.

Officials told parliamentary committees that nearly 90 per cent of beggars apprehended overseas are Pakistani. Over the last two-and-a-half years, about 44,000 beggars have been repatriated from countries such as Saudi Arabia.

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