KARACHI: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Sunday it has arrested 10 persons deported from Saudi Arabia for allegedly begging in the Kingdom despite traveling there on Umrah visas. 

The trend of beggars abusing visas to beg in foreign countries has Pakistan worried that it could impact genuine visa-seekers and particularly religious pilgrims to Saudi Arabia. According to widespread media reports, Riyadh raised this issue with Islamabad at various forums last year. 

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said in November 2024 that an “effective crackdown” was being carried out across the country against Pakistanis traveling to the Kingdom on pilgrim and other visas and resorting to begging. 

“In a major operation by FIA Immigration at Karachi airport, 10 suspects involved in begging under the guise of Umrah were arrested,” the agency said in a statement. 

The suspects were deported from the Kingdom for being involved in begging and had arrived in Karachi via flight SV-704. The FIA said they hail from Pakistan’s Rajanpur, Naushahro Feroze, Kashmore, Lahore, Peshawar, Mohmand and Larkana cities and districts.

The agency said its initial investigation proved the suspects were begging in Saudi Arabia for several months, adding that they were transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further legal action. 

“FIA Immigration is conducting strict screening at all airports,” the FIA said. “Passengers going abroad are being checked from all aspects. Strict action is being taken against those involved in begging.”

Pakistanis are the second-largest expatriate community in the Kingdom, with over 2.5 million living and working in Saudi Arabia, the top source of remittances to the South Asian country.
 

ISLAMABAD: Dallas-based Pakistani chef Maryam Ishtiaq recently announced on Instagram that she will be part of the upcoming season of the popular American culinary reality TV show, “Next Level Chef,” saying she was proud to represent her community on the international stage. 

Next Level Chef is an American culinary reality competition TV series featuring celebrated chefs Gordon Ramsay, Nyesha Arrington and Richard Blais. The three recruit talented chefs from around the world and take them under their wing, with the contestants facing unique cooking challenges. 

Ishtiaq, 32, describes herself as a “self-taught” chef with years of experience cooking for large families, catering for intimate gatherings and hosting private parties. She is the co-founder of an American food company “Its Actually” which sells halal broth. 

“I have consistently followed a unique career journey, and I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to turn my dreams into reality while pursuing my passions,” she wrote on Instagram on Jan. 28, announcing that she will feature in season 4 of the culinary show. 

 “My world is about to get rocked, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to represent my community on such a prominent platform while doing what I love most! Let’s do this!”

The fourth season of the popular American reality show will kick off on Feb. 13 on Fox network. 

Speaking to Dawn Images, Ishtiaq said she applied to be a contestant on Next Level Chef “years ago and totally forgot that I did.”

She told the publication that one day she randomly got a call from the show’s staff who were interested in her. 

“You go through multiple rounds of interviews, auditions, background checks,” she said. 

Last month, Ishtiaq was featured in an article on private chefs on Forbes. The Pakistani-American chef told the website she plans to open a cafe where halal food can coexist with other dietary restrictions on a varied menu.