11 ‘panhandlers’ leaving for Saudi Arabia arrested

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Sindh’s immigration department at the Karachi airport arrested 11 passengers who were allegedly leaving for Saudi Arabia for the purpose of panhandling.

Officials said the passengers were leaving Pakistan on the pretext of performing Umrah. They said that directives had been received from senior authorities to arrest those leaving for panhandling in Saudi Arabia.

Officials had complied a list based on data received and already available. The FIA’s immigration officials arrested 11 passengers, including eight women, who were on their way to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa on flight No. PK711.

The initial investigation found out that suspects Shahid, Mujahid, Zafar and eight women hailing from Punjab possessed return tickets that turned out to be fake. Their hotel booking documents also turned out to be fake. The suspects were taken to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle for further legal action.