Pakistan Places 4,300 Beggars on Exit Control List (ECL)
The move is part of a broader crackdown on organized begging networks that exploit these visas for illegal activities.
Pakistan has added the names of 4,300 beggars to its Exit Control List (ECL), it emerged on Thursday.
This decision follows increasing concerns from Saudi Arabia regarding the number of Pakistani beggars entering the kingdom, particularly on Hajj and Umrah visas.
The move is part of a broader crackdown on organized begging networks that exploit these visas for illegal activities.
The announcement was made by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Interior Minister and the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan. They discussed enhancing bilateral relations, including potential cooperation in training paramilitary forces and police.
Naqvi emphasized a zero-tolerance policy against the mafia involved in sending beggars abroad and confirmed that a nationwide crackdown is underway.
Additionally, the two countries agreed to expedite the legal process for the repatriation of 419 Pakistani prisoners currently held in Saudi Arabia, further strengthening their cooperative ties.
