He expressed concern that the growing number of beggars is negatively impacting the country’s international image.

Speaking to members of the Pakistan Ready-made Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) in his hometown of Sialkot on Saturday, Khawaja Asif cited recent data regarding the deportation of Pakistani beggars from Middle Eastern countries.

He noted that Saudi Arabia alone had deported at least 4,700 Pakistani beggars.

A 2024 briefing by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to a parliamentary committee reported that 4,000 beggars had been deported by Saudi Arabia over the past three years.

Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Begging Regulation imposes strict penalties, including fines, imprisonment, and deportation for foreigners found guilty of begging or being part of organized begging networks.

According to a senior FIA official, most of the deported individuals are professional beggars from South Punjab, Karachi, and Interior Sindh.