Begging in Pakistan is no longer limited to streets and marketplaces. It has grown into an organised industry that operates not just within the country but also abroad. According to Pakistan’s Defence Minister, beggars from the country earn billions of rupees every year and many travel overseas to seek alms, often landing in trouble with foreign authorities.
Pakistani beggars earn Rs 42 billion every year
As per a report by Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif shared alarming figures in April this year. He said Pakistan has around 22 million beggars, who together earn at least Rs 42 billion annually. The minister warned that the growing number of beggars is hurting Pakistan’s image on the global stage.
He also revealed that Saudi Arabia alone has deported at least 4700 Pakistani beggars.
Organised gangs send Pakistani beggars abroad by presenting them as tourists or religious pilgrims. These groups reach countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Oman, even though begging is strictly illegal there. Recently, Saudi Arabia deported 56,000 Pakistanis on charges related to begging.
Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed a parliamentary panel that around 4000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia over the past three years.
Begging is illegal in Pakistan too
Begging is also illegal in Pakistan under the 1958 Vagrancy Ordinance, which allows up to three years in jail for begging or forcing children to beg. Despite this law, organised begging continues, as media reports say the government lacks the machinery to enforce the ban effectively.
Recent arrests in the UAE exposed how profitable begging can be. According to Gulf News, a Pakistani man was caught in Sharjah with 14,000 dirhams (about Rs 3 lakh), which he said he earned in just three days. In Dubai, police arrested 127 Pakistani beggars and recovered 50,000 dirhams (Rs 11 lakh). Sharjah Police also detained 107 beggars, seizing a similar amount earlier this year.
Saudi Arabia faces the biggest problem
Saudi Arabia, which hosts millions of pilgrims every year, is the worst affected. Authorities have repeatedly urged Pakistan to stop beggars from entering the kingdom. In one case, the FIA stopped 16 beggars travelling on Umrah visas, who planned to beg in Mecca and Medina.
