Saudi Arabia mandates affidavit from Pakistani pilgrims to prevent begging

The government of Pakistan has initiated stringent measures to address and control its citizens begging at Islamic sites in Saudi Arabia. This move came after Saudi authorities expelled a huge number of Pakistani beggars from the Kingdom for trespassing and demanding alms in the holy sites under the guise of the Umrah



pilgrimage.

Following a crackdown by Saudi authorities on Pakistani beggars in September, Riyadh warned Pakistan to take serious and urgent notice of beggars flooding the kingdom under Umrah and Haj visas. Saudi Arabia called on Islamabad’s ministry of religious affairs to prevent such people from getting visas and entering its territory for begging purposes.