Beggars from Pakistan have become the talk of the town after Saudi Arabia asked Islamabad to restrict their influx to the country using pilgrimage as cover. This has made a big dent in Pakistan’s reputation worldwide, especially in the Middle East. Saudi warned Islamabad about imposing restrictions on Umrah and Haj pilgrims if action was not taken against beggars.[1]
The beggars from Pakistan disguised themselves as tourists to visit the Gulf countries, including UAE, Iran, Turkey, and Oman. Notably, about 90 percent of beggars arrested in the Middle East are from Pakistan. Zulfikar Haider, a secretary-level official, accepted the fact that beggars from Pakistan had become a reputational problem for the Pakistanis working in the Middle East, tarnishing the country’s image.[2]
Zarsha Naveed, a Pakistani national who works in Jeddah, said the warning from the Saudi government denigrated the image of Pakistan and the credibility of overseas professionals. “This alarming situation not only damages Pakistan’s reputation internationally but also affects the dignity of all Pakistanis who work hard to contribute positively to society,” she said.[3]
Beggars from Pakistan have become a headache for almost every Gulf country. The relaxed norms for pilgrimage visas and lax control of the Islamabad government are mainly responsible, said Rasul Bakhsh Rais, Lahore-based author and Professor of Political Science. “For months, high-ranking diplomats from various countries in the Gulf have highlighted that their prisons are overflowing with Pakistani beggars and have pressed the Pakistani government to do something about the bizarre phenomenon,” he said.[4]
The Gulf countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait have expressed concerns over the organised gangs of Pakistani beggars who entered these countries as pilgrims.[5] The beggars from Pakistan are engaged in criminal activities, many of them being heinous. This has led the Middle East to stop hiring the Pakistani workforce. About half of the crimes in the UAE have involvement of Pakistani nationals.[6]
Four Pakistanis were arrested for transporting weapons from Iran to Yemen recently.[7] “Pakistanis have a bad international reputation. The scale of this problem is not restricted to labour working overseas but also to blue-collar workers,” said Karachi-based journalist Noman Hossain.[8] Recently, the UAE Consul General expressed concerns over Pakistanis living in the UAE spreading negative propaganda on social media.[9]
Moreover, the behaviour of overseas Pakistanis, particularly in areas of work ethics and attitudes, has led to discomfort among the Gulf nations, acknowledged Dr Arshad Mahmood, Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis.[10] Qatar and Kuwait complained about a lack of professionalism, while the UAE found inappropriate behaviour of Pakistani labourers, particularly toward women.[11]
Pakistani expatriates are often blamed for interfering in internal matters or disrupting the social harmony in the Gulf. “Pakistani expatriates sometimes exhibit a different mindset—one that involves laying claims over the resources of Gulf nations,” said Saudi Arabia-based scribe Zahack Tanvir. “This trend has not gone unnoticed, and there are concerns that it could potentially lead to problems in host countries.”[12]
The Gulf countries play a big role in Pakistan’s economy thanks to remittances from the overseas workforce, which has assumed greater significance against the backdrop of the country’s deteriorating financial condition. So, the growing reservations about Pakistani expatriates are likely to have severe consequences, even leading to economic instability.
The repercussions are dire, said the Pakistani prominent newspaper The Express Tribune. “Reports of misconduct and the presence of organised begging rings have tarnished the reputation of Pakistani workers. Remittances from overseas workers, a lifeline for many Pakistani families and a vital part of the national economy are at risk,” it said in its editorial piece.[13] In 2022, over 750,000 Pakistanis had left the country to seek employment overseas, prominently in the Gulf.[14]
While the Islamabad government’s action to prevent the flow of beggars and criminal groups to the Gulf countries remained lax and hazy, it has cautioned its nationals to behave properly. Remittance is a key. “I reiterate our request to Pakistani nationals, wherever they are, to respect the local laws and the local customs so that the life of all Pakistanis in those countries remain normal and these individuals continue to enjoy their stay in these countries,” said Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch.[15]
Sources:
[1] https://dailyausaf.com/en/pakistan/saudi-arabia-cautions-pakistan-on-beggars-using-umrah-visas/
[2] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2438090/pakistani-beggars-plague-middle-east-raising-trust-concerns
[3] https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1235146-reputational-damage
[4] https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2568970
[5] https://www.dawn.com/news/1849093#:~:text=Most%20of%20these%20people%20visit%20Saudi%20Arabia%20on%20Umrah%20visas%20and%20Saudi%20authorities%20have%20reported%20that%2090%20per%20cent%20of%20all%20beggars%20arrested%20in%20the%20country%2C%20were%20Pakistanis.
[6] https://www.dawn.com/news/1849093#:~:text=Most%20of%20these%20people%20visit%20Saudi%20Arabia%20on%20Umrah%20visas%20and%20Saudi%20authorities%20have%20reported%20that%2090%20per%20cent%20of%20all%20beggars%20arrested%20in%20the%20country%2C%20were%20Pakistanis.
[7] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2458080/pakistan-rejects-foreign-poll-probe-demand
[8] https://www.khaama.com/uae-warns-pakistani-nationals-against-negative-propaganda-on-social-media/
[9] https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1215483-uae-envoy-warns-pakistanis-against-negative-propaganda
[10] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2498376/pakistani-beggars-in-saudi-could-disrupt-hajj-umrah-pilgrims-ksa-warns
[11] https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/gulf-nations-concerned-over-behaviour-of-pakistani-nationals-living-there-2574167-2024-07-31
[12] https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/why-arab-countries-seem-to-be-ignoring-pakistan-in-recent-years-13169612.html
[13] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2484825/dented-reputation
[14] https://tribune.com.pk/story/2390704/countrys-brain-drain-situation-accelerated-in-2022
[15] https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2560666/pakistan
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