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Business Recorder
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
18,000 Pakistanis languish in foreign prisons: Senate body criticise ministry's half-baked efforts
ISLAMABAD: A Senate committee was left stunned on Friday after it was revealed that over 18,000 Pakistanis are languishing in foreign prisons, with little to no support from the government meant to protect them. Presided over by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development was confronted with stark and troubling statistics: 417 Pakistanis imprisoned in China, 598 in Greece, 463 in Malaysia, 738 in India, 578 in Oman, 422 in Qatar, 5,297 in the UAE and a staggering 10,432 locked up in Saudi Arabia alone. The senator did not mince words, criticising the ministry's half-baked efforts and accusing officials of offering vague, incomplete data. 'This is not just a number. These are human lives,' he said. 'The government's apathy is disgraceful.' Despite repeated claims, there appears to be little meaningful action. While the ministry boasted about finalising prisoner repatriation agreements with 11 countries and ongoing discussions with 15 more, the committee demanded more than just diplomatic lip service. It urged the government to provide comprehensive profiles of the prisoners, detailing the nature of their alleged offences and the extent – or glaring absence – of legal assistance being provided to them. Even more glaring was the spotlight on the ineffectiveness of Pakistan's Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) – officials stationed overseas to safeguard the interests of Pakistani expatriates. The committee grilled the ministry on how frequently these attachés visit imprisoned citizens and what concrete assistance they actually deliver. The responses, however, were vague at best, exposing a disturbing reality of CWAs pocketing hefty salaries after their appointments through political connections, all while failing to provide any meaningful support. Senator Kazim Ali Shah was blunt: 'There are zero welfare services for prisoners from Sindh. What exactly are these attachés doing besides drawing salaries?' Branding the CWAs a complete embarrassment and utter failure, the committee slammed their lacklustre performance and demanded they be held rigorously accountable through quarterly reviews. It also insisted they recruit local diasporas members to actually do some real work; exposing just how out of touch and ineffective this bloated, politically-appointed system has become. Meanwhile, hollow promises to support Overseas Pakistanis through special courts also came under fire during the meeting. Officials boasted that Punjab passed the relevant legislation last year, but Senator Shahadat Awan tore into the lack of transparency, absence of crucial data, and the glaring failure to establish even basic infrastructure like evidence-recording facilities. 'This law exists only on paper,' he remarked. 'It is yet another PR stunt while overseas Pakistanis wait endlessly for justice.' The ministry was given one month to produce a detailed report on pending court cases involving overseas Pakistanis – a move seen by many as long overdue. In a final attempt to salvage the session, the ministry officials listed a few initiatives: a five per cent quota in universities for children of expatriates and a pilot scheme in London to resolve property disputes through the Punjab Land Record Authority. The committee, unimpressed, advised the government to extend the property project to Islamabad but also warned that unless these initiatives move beyond announcements, overseas Pakistanis will continue to feel abandoned by their own country. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Grim prisoner stats abroad shock Senate panel
The Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Friday deliberated on the increasing number of Pakistani prisoners abroad. Shocking details came to light during the meeting, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, regarding Pakistani prisoners abroad. The committee criticised the officials for providing inadequate information concerning the individuals. According to data from the ministry, approximately 417 prisoners are serving sentences in China, 598 in Greece, 463 in Malaysia, 738 in India, 578 in Oman, 422 in Qatar, 10,432 in Saudi Arabia, and 5,297 in the UAE, Senator Zeeshan Khanzada highlighted. He remarked that the data reflects the ministry's efforts towards the repatriation of prisoners. Officials apprised the committee that the Prisoner Repatriation Agreements have been finalised with 11 countries, while discussions are ongoing with 15 others. The committee recommended that the ministry should provide detailed profiling of the prisoners to understand the nature of the crimes they committed. It also inquired from the Community Welfare Attachés (CWAs) about how frequently they meet with the prisoners. Senator Kazim Ali Shah pointed out that no welfare services have been extended to prisoners from Sindh. The committee decided to review quarterly performance of the Community Welfare Attachés and recommended allowing them to hire local diaspora members to more effectively expand welfare services to Pakistani prisoners abroad. Discussing the performance of special courts established to facilitate overseas Pakistanis, the ministry informed the committee that Punjab has enacted the relevant legislation. However, Senator Shahadat Awan pointed out that although the act was passed in 2024, no data has yet been provided regarding the number of cases processed in Punjab or in any other province.
Express Tribune
04-06-2025
- 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
03-06-2025
- 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
03-06-2025
- 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.
