Saudi Arabia warns Pakistan about latest begging mafia

Saudi Arabia has sent a final warning to Pakistan against the beggar mafia that is abusing Umrah visas to enter the kingdom, an English-language newspaper reported on Wednesday.

According to the report, Saudi authorities have expressed concern over the increasing number of Pakistani beggars coming to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visas, warning that if the situation is not brought under control, it could have negative consequences for Pakistani Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.

In response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has decided to introduce an ‘Umrah Act’, which aims to regulate and bring under legal supervision travel agencies that facilitate Umrah travel, the report said.

In addition, the ministry has contacted the Pakistani government to find ways to discourage beggars from travelling to Saudi Arabia under the guise of a religious pilgrimage.

Earlier during a meeting between Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Ambassador Nawaf bin Said Ahmed Al-Malki, Mohsin assured the Saudi envoy that strict measures would be taken against the mafia responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been tasked with tackling this network, which Mohsin says is tarnishing Pakistan’s image. The FIA has been instructed to crack down on the mafia responsible for sending beggars to Saudi Arabia.

In September last year, 16 beggars dressed as pilgrims were taken off a flight to Saudi Arabia and arrested because they wanted to travel to the kingdom to beg.

According to a report last year, 90 percent of beggars arrested abroad are from Pakistan.