Latest news with #ZeeshanKhanzada
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
135,000 Pakistanis seek asylum abroad
Listen to article It was revealed during the meeting of a parliamentary panel that around 135,000 Pakistanis have sought political asylum in western countries in the last two years. The committee was also told that 52,000 Pakistanis have been deported from neighboring countries including Iran during the same period. The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis held a meeting on Tuesday. During the session, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, the director general of passports revealed that 125,000 Pakistanis in Europe and more than 10,000 in the United States had applied for political asylum. He informed the committee that some countries do not jail Pakistani nationals who arrive there through illegal means but immediately repatriate them to Pakistan. "34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran last year. The passports of deported individuals have been blocked, while those involved in criminal activities are being given strict punishments," he said. The DG noted that over 10.3 million skilled Pakistani professionals are currently working abroad. Earlier, officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis stated that Saudi Arabia has reduced the number of visas issued to Pakistanis and tightened the eligibility criteria. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed the committee that since 2023, over 52,000 Pakistanis have been deported, including 5,000 beggars deported from Saudi Arabia.
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Over 58,000 Pakistanis deported from various states since 2023
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel was informed on Tuesday that more than 58,000 Pakistanis have been deported from various countries since 2023, with a significant number facing repatriation on charges related to beggary and immigration violations. Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, the Interior Ministry officials revealed that 5,600 deportees were expelled specifically for beggary from Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. The committee, chaired by Zeeshan Khanzada, reviewed data submitted by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and Pakistani diplomatic missions abroad. According to the Director General of Passports and Immigration, Mustafa Jamal Kazi, many Pakistani citizens had overstayed their visas while travelling for religious pilgrimages to countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. Kazi disclosed that around 34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran last year, while nearly 50,000 were sent back from Iraq. He also pointed to a growing trend of asylum seekers, with approximately 125,000 Pakistanis applying for asylum in European countries during the last one year. The committee raised concerns over the increase in deportations due to fake documentation and beggary, noting that such incidents have damaged Pakistan's international image and strained relations with brotherly countries in the Gulf and Middle East. Interior Ministry officials confirmed that the names of deportees have been placed on the Passport Control List (PCL), and in some cases, their passports have been cancelled in an effort to curb this trend. However, Senator Shahadat Awan, a member of the committee, objected, arguing that cancelling passports for offences committed outside Pakistan's jurisdiction may not be legally justified. The committee further inquired about the Interior Ministry's action against Overseas Employment Promoters (OEPs) suspected of facilitating illegal or exploitative migration. Officials revealed that 1,460 deportees had travelled through 691 OEPs. Show-cause notices have been issued to those implicated, and the panel has recommended initiating criminal proceedings against the promoters involved in sending individuals abroad for beggary or with falsified documents. Zamir Hussain Ghumro, another member of the panel, questioned what steps the ministry has taken to prevent such crimes, which he said have brought shame to the country. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development informed the committee that 7,873 Pakistanis were deported between 2019 and 2025, with 1,064 of those cases linked to beggary. The panel has also sought a breakdown of 5,000 deportees who travelled on work permits or visit visas to evaluate the involvement of employment agents. In a separate briefing, the managing director of the Overseas Employment Corporation (OEC) presented updates on economic diplomacy initiatives aimed at promoting the export of skilled labour. He said that approximately 10.3 million skilled Pakistani workers are currently employed overseas. The OEC has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 18 countries, with an additional 15 under negotiation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
135,000 Pakistanis sought asylum in Europe, US in two years
Listen to article As many as 135,000 Pakistanis have applied for political asylum in Europe and the United States over the past two years, a Senate committee was informed on Tuesday. The figure includes 125,000 asylum applications in different European countries and more than 10,000 in the US. The startling revelations were shared by the director general of Passports during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis which was chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada. The DG informed lawmakers that more than 52,000 Pakistanis have been deported over the past two years. Iran alone deported 34,000 Pakistani nationals attempting to enter the country illegally, while Saudi Arabia deported 5,000 Pakistani citizens involved in begging. Saudi Arabia has also reduced its work visa quota for Pakistanis and tightened the criteria for visa issuance. Meanwhile, several countries, including the UAE, Italy, the UK, and other European nations, have suspended student visa programs for Pakistani applicants. Officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis confirmed these developments, adding that some countries are bypassing legal proceedings by repatriating Pakistanis immediately under provisions of the Passport Act, rather than jailing them. The DG also disclosed that the passports of deported Pakistanis have been blocked, and those found involved in criminal activities abroad are facing strict legal consequences. Despite these setbacks, the officials said that over 10.3 million skilled and professional Pakistanis continue to work overseas, contributing to the country's economy through remittances.
Express Tribune
09-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt taps EU demand for skilled labour
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was informed on Thursday that Europe was projected to require 450 million skilled workers over the coming years, and Pakistan is moving to position its workforce to meet the demand. Similarly, a labour agreement has already been signed between Italy and Pakistan, while a similar deal with Belarus is expected soon. During the session, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Dr Arshad Mahmood, told the committee that Belarus required approximately 150,000 skilled workers. Efforts are being made to send as many Pakistani workers there as possible, he added. Dr Mahmood further stated that Europe demands skilled labour, and Pakistan has initiated six-month specialised training programmes at five universities, including NUST, aimed at ensuring confirmed employment opportunities abroad upon completion. He revealed that Italy's interior minister visited Pakistan a day earlier and formally signed a bilateral agreement to recruit skilled labour from Pakistan. CEO Sehat Sahulat Programme Muhammad Arshad informed the committee that all Pakistani citizens were entitled to free medical treatment under the programme. For further details, he added, citizens can send their CNIC number to 8500 to access information about affiliated hospitals and other services. Separately, the director general of the Foreign Office briefed the committee that Pakistan has signed prisoner exchange agreements with eight countries, under which 185 convicted individuals have been repatriated.
