Over 7,800 Pakistanis were deported from 2019 to 2025 for different charges. Photo: Reuters
Pakistan’s government has initiated cancelling the passports of deportees due to fake documents and beggary to discourage such practices.
Data released by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development showed that over 7,800 Pakistanis were deported from 2019 to 2025 for different charges, including beggary. All of these deportees’ passports are being cancelled, the Pakistani media reported.
Most of these deportees are from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which house a higher number of South Asian diaspora.
As reported by Khaleej Times last month, the South Asian government stated that all deportees’ passports will be cancelled upon arrival in the country and a first information report (FIR) will be filed against them for illegal practices.
In addition, the government also announced that the deportees will be placed on the passport control list, ensuring that they don’t travel abroad for five years.
The Ministry of Interior has started placing these deportees’ names on the passport control list to ensure that they don’t travel abroad.
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resources earlier this week discussed the matter of deportees and discussed steps taken to prevent such incidents.
Millions of skilled Pakistani workers are employed in various countries, contributing immensely to the country’s foreign exchange reserves. More than 5.5 million Pakistanis live and work in the UAE and other neighbouring Gulf countries. Millions of South Asian nationals visit Dubai, UAE and other regional countries for tourism.
Pakistanis in the UAE have welcomed the government’s decision to cancel the passports of deportees and put them on the passport control list for illegal practices because these initiatives will ease travel and visa restrictions for genuine visitors.
The Senate Standing Committee recommended that the ministry initiate criminal proceedings against agencies for their involvement in sending deportees abroad.
However, the question of legality of cancelling passports for crimes committed in foreign countries was also raised by a senator during the meeting.
