The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Immigration Cell has arrested four passengers, including three women involved in begging, who were attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia. The arrests took place during operations at the Sialkot and Karachi airports.

According to a statement issued by the FIA Gujranwala spokesperson, the FIA Immigration team at Sialkot Airport arrested three women travelers involved in begging under the pretext of performing Umrah. The women were identified as Rubina Bibi, Inayat Bibi, and Maqsood Bibi. The arrested women arrived in Pakistan from Saudi Arabia on flight number OV 505.

The women are from various areas of Multan, Muzaffargarh, and Rahim Yar Khan. Upon arrival in Makkah, they engaged in begging for several months. The women had arranged Umrah visas and tickets for 250,000 rupees each.

Following the arrest, the women were transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Gujranwala for further legal action.

In a separate operation at Karachi Airport, the FIA Immigration Cell arrested another passenger involved in begging, who was attempting to travel to Saudi Arabia. The arrested passenger, identified as Alhando Panwar, was about to board flight XY638 for Saudi Arabia.

The FIA spokesperson revealed that the passenger’s name was on the blacklist, as he had previously traveled to Saudi Arabia on an Umrah visa in 2019. After being involved in begging, his name was added to the blacklist. Panwar had been deported by Saudi authorities in June 2023 for his involvement in begging.

During the investigation, Panwar admitted that he had arranged his visa and ticket through an agent named Abdul Shakoor for 240,000 rupees. The agent had advised him to beg upon reaching Saudi Arabia.

Panwar was transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further investigation, and legal proceedings are ongoing.