Over 5,000 Pakistani Beggars Deported from Saudi Arabia in 16 Months, NA Told
The National Assembly was informed on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia has deported 5,033 Pakistani nationals on charges of begging in the last 16 months. A total of 5,402 individuals were deported from six countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, and the UAE, since January 2024.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi provided the data in a written reply to a question posed by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Sehar Kamran. He noted that 4,850 Pakistanis were deported in 2024, while 552 have returned so far in 2025.
Breakdown by Country and Province
Saudi Arabia led with the highest number of deportations, followed by Iraq (247) and the UAE (58). Interestingly, the province-wise data reveals that Sindh accounted for nearly 52% of deportees, with 2,795 individuals repatriated, followed by Punjab (1,437), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1,002), Balochistan (125), Azad Kashmir (33), and Islamabad (10).
Crackdown on Afghan Refugees
In response to another query from PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan, the interior minister stated that over 1 million undocumented Afghan nationals, including ACC (Afghan Citizen Card) holders, have been repatriated under the Illegal Foreigner’s Repatriation Plan (IFRP) since November 2023.
Naqvi emphasized Pakistan’s legal right to deport illegal foreigners to protect national security, citing that Pakistan is not a signatory to the 1951 UNHCR Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol, hence facing no international legal consequences.
According to official figures, 813,146 Afghans currently hold ACCs, while 1.304 million are POR (Proof of Registration) holders. Since 2007, approximately 1.377 million Afghan refugees have returned under the UNHCR repatriation program.
