Crackdown: Pakistan starts cancelling passports of thousands of deportees

Dubai: Thousands of Pakistani citizens deported from abroad due to their involvement in begging and other unlawful activities, have been identified for passport cancellation.

The government officials informed the Senate Committee of Pakistan that the process of canceling the passports of 7,873 such individuals is already underway.

According to data shared by the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), more than 5,600 of these deportees were expelled from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar between 2019 and 2025, primarily for engaging in organized beggary rings.

These individuals have now been placed on the Passport Control List (PCL), a measure that restricts the issuance or renewal of travel documents, Dawn news reported.

The update was provided during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada at Parliament House.

Illicit activities

The session was convened to address growing concerns over Pakistanis involved in illicit activities abroad and their impact on the country’s international reputation.

Officials told the committee that 1,460 deportees had travelled overseas through 691 registered Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs). The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis has issued show-cause notices to the concerned promoters, with recommendations that criminal proceedings be initiated against those found complicit.

The committee demanded a full disclosure of the OEPs responsible for sending the highest number of individuals later found involved in criminal conduct abroad.

Call for action

Senator Zamir Hussain Ghumro raised concerns about the government’s strategy to prevent such incidents, emphasizing the reputational damage caused by these acts. Meanwhile, Senator Shahadat Awan questioned the legality of canceling passports for offenses committed outside Pakistan's territorial jurisdiction, suggesting a need for clear legal guidelines.

Mustafa Jamal Kazi, Director General of Passport and Immigration, briefed the committee on the rising trend of Pakistani nationals overstaying their visas in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq, particularly among pilgrims.

In 2024 alone, approximately 34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran and nearly 50,000 from Iraq.

Asylum seekers

Kazi also pointed to a growing wave of asylum seekers among Pakistanis in Europe, noting that an estimated 125,000 individuals have applied for asylum in European nations over the past year, often citing economic hardship or instability.

Despite these troubling developments, officials noted that over 10.3 million skilled Pakistani workers remain employed abroad, contributing significantly to the country's remittances and global labor presence.

Pakistan has long relied on its overseas workforce to drive remittance flows, with the Gulf region serving as a primary destination.