The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Immigration unit has apprehended a group of beggars who were attempting to leave for Saudi Arabia under the pretext of undertaking the sacred Umrah pilgrimage.

The group included children and women, raising concerns about the exploitation of religious sentiments for illegal activities. The operation exposed an agent named Nuro, allegedly responsible for facilitating these beggars’ entry into Saudi Arabia, where they would engage in begging within the holy cities of Islam.

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The arrested individuals, comprising eight women, four men, and as many children, are from Kassowal town in Punjab’s Chichawatni tehsil, Sahiwal district. The FIA Immigration unit is conducting further investigations to uncover the extent of this scheme and bring those responsible to justice.

This incident highlights a broader issue, as recent reports indicate that a significant percentage of professional beggars arrested in Middle Eastern countries are Pakistani nationals, with many of them involved in petty crimes around the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia. This problem has raised concerns and prompted discussions among authorities regarding measures to address this escalating issue and its impact on the reputation of overseas Pakistanis.