4,300 beggars put on ECL

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan has put 4,300 people on the exit control list (ECL) who were suspected of going to Saudi Arabia on the pretext of performing Haj or Umra and start begging there.

The decision has been taken after the Saudi government expressed its displeasure and conveyed concerns to the government of Pakistan after a large number of Pakistanis were found begging in Saudi Arabia, specially in Makkah, Madina and Jeddah.

It was reported that some gangs were involved in sending beggars on the pretext of performing Haj and Umrah to Saudi Arabia who after reaching there started begging, creating nuisance for the local population.

For the last many months, investigations against gangs and people who were trying to travel to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visa have been ongoing. Many groups were detained at different airports in Punjab before flying to Saudi Arabia.

Interior minister Mohsin Naqvi told a visiting delegation from Saudi Arabia yesterday that Pakistan was taking strong measures to check the travel to Saudi Arabia by people who were not actually going there to perform Umrah but to beg.

He said that the names of 4,300 people had been included in the Exit Control List to check their travel to Saudi Arabia under the garb of pilgrims and start begging there.

These people had gone to Saudi Arabia on Umra visas and started begging there or had tried to travel to Saudi Arabia in the past.

He told the delegation that because of the stringent measures being taken by the government, no Pakistani beggar would be seen in Saudi Arabia in future. He said action was also being taken against agents involved in human smuggling.