The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis was informed on Wednesday that an increasing number of beggars from Pakistan were relocating to foreign countries, leading to a surge in "human trafficking." Zulfikar Haider, the Secretary of the Overseas Ministry, revealed this during a Senate panel discussion on the emigration of skilled and unskilled labor from Pakistan.
In a surprising revelation, Haider informed the committee that a staggering "90 percent of beggars" detained in foreign nations were of Pakistani origin. He explained that many beggars exploited pilgrim visas to travel to Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. Additionally, he disclosed that a significant number of pickpockets apprehended in holy sites like Haram were also Pakistani nationals.
During the discussion, Haider also pointed out that Japan had become a new destination for such individuals. He highlighted Pakistan's historical role in exporting skilled labor and expressed optimism that the country's foreign remittances would increase as more professionals went abroad.
He further mentioned that Saudi Arabia now favored skilled labor over untrained individuals.