Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, convened today at Parliament House to blockage of passports for 5 years,registration of FIRs against deportees from KSA and other western counties along with causes of rapidly increasing incidents of deportation from the Gulf and other countries on account of beggary and fake documents.
Officials of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development apprised the committee that around 7873 Pakistanis had been deported from 2019 to 2025 on several accounts,and around 1064 were deported on account of beggary. Of these, 1460 deportees had gone abroad through 691 Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs). Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro inquired about the steps taken by the ministry for the prevention of beggary and other crimes, which has bought disgrace to the Nation’s image. Officials further informed that the ministry has initiated cancellation of passports of all deportees to discourage the growing trend of beggary, which is reportedly being committed by Pakistan Nationals in Gulf Countries. Senator Shahadat Awan claimed that the passport of an individual could not be cancelled for the crime committed abroad or outside the territorial jurisdiction of Pakistan. The Committee also inquired about the action taken against the OEPs involved in sending the deportees abroad. Officials stated that the ministry has issued show case notices to those involved. The Committee recommended the ministry to initiate criminal proceedings against the alleged ones along with direction to provide the details of OEPs who sent the maximum number of Pakistanis abroad who have been found involved in beggary and other criminal activities earning humiliation for Pakistan and disrupting friendly relations with the brotherly countries like Saudi Arabia,UAE,Qatar,Iran,Iraq and Oman. The Committee also sought segregated data of 5,000 deportees of those who went abroad on permit and visit visa to determine role of the OEPs in the matter.
Moreover, Officials of Interior Ministry stated that around 58,000 Pakistanis have been deported since 2023,and of these, 5,600 have been deported on account of beggary from Saudi Arabia,Oman and Qatar, as per the data received from the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) and Pakistan Missions Abroad. The Ministry has put the names of deportees on Passport Control List (PCL).
DG Passport and Immigration,Mustafa Jamal Kazi, informed the committee about the growing trend of overstaying by the Pakistanis visiting Saudi Arabia,Iran and Iraq for pilgrimage. In the last year around 34,000 Pakistanis have been deported from Iran,and around 50,000 have been deported from the Iraq, he stated. He also highlighted the increasing trend of Pakistanis nationals seeking asylum in the European countries. He informed that around one hundred twenty five thousand have sought asylum in European countries in the last year or so. The Committee sought report from DG Passport and Immigration regarding 2,4000 speaking orders,issued to facilitate deportees during last 3 months.
Furthermore, the Committee was briefed about the economic diplomacy to increase migration of skilled labor abroad. MD OEC apprised that around 10.3 Million Pakistanis skilled workers are employed in various countries and OEC has MoUs with the 18 countries, while around 15 MoUs are under consideration. Moreover, OEC is focused on migration of skilled labor so that he/she can contribute effectively to the host countries’ economies as well as Pakistan through remittances The Committee appreciated the work done by OEC and decided to pay a visit to Laboratories established by OEC in the upcoming meeting.
In attendance were Senators Shahadat Awan,Syed Kazim Ali Shah,Zamir Hussain Ghumro,Gurdeep Singh,Khalida Ateeb,Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis Nadeem Aslam Chaudhary,Managing Director OEC Naseer Khan Kashani,DG Passport and Immigration Mustafa Jamal Kazi and Senior Officials of relevant departments.
