In yet another embarrassment for cash-strapped Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has raised concerns with Islamabad as a majority of people who travel to the Kingdom are involved in either begging or pickpocketing.
In fact, this was also attested by Secretary Overseas Pakistanis Zeeshan Khanzada, who during a meeting of the Senate's standing committee for Overseas Pakistanis, on Wednesday asserted that most of the Pakistanis travelling abroad, are purposely involved in begging, Pakistan English website, The News International reported.
90% of Pakistanis involved in pickpocketing in Saudi
In a shocking claim, Rana Mahmoodul Hassan Kakar in the chair told the forum that almost 90 per cent of Pakistani citizens travel to the Middle East country under the guise of "pilgrimage". Also, he said that Saudi Arabia told the Pakistani officials that the majority of the pickpockets arrested from within Makkah's grand mosque are Pakistani nationals.
"Ambassadors of Iraq and Saudi Arabia complain to us that their prison facilities have been overrun [due to Pakistani beggars that enter the country via unauthorised channels]. This issue now befalls within the category of human trafficking," the media outlet quoted Khanzada as saying.
Even Nepal has more skilled people than Pakistan
Further, Chairman Kakar, in a shocking claim, said that only 200 Pakistanis travelled to Japan after the island country had floated a requirement of 3,40,000 skilled people. On the other hand, over 1,50,000 Indians and 91,000 people from Nepal went to Japan, the committee chairman said.
"We have 50,000 unemployed engineers...whereas Nepal which has a total population of 30 million, managed to train their people in the Japanese language [and send them there]," he added.
Moreover, informing about the preparations made with regard to Newtech's proposal to the Saudi government, Kakar claimed that the initial proposal sent by Islamabad was turned down by Saudi.
"The committee chairman — in light of the fact that Saudi Arabia requires skilled labour — also suggested sending [at least] 50,000 trained people to the Middle-Eastern country," he stressed.
Over 1 million Indians get American visas in 2023
It is worth mentioning the report came on the same day when the US Mission to India processed a record number of nonimmigrant visa applications until September 28, Thursday-- almost 20% more applications than in pre-pandemic 2019. According to the statement released by the US Embassy and Consulate in India, it has already processed one million visas for Indians.
US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti has handed over the one-millionth passport to a couple in New Delhi and expressed gratitude for choosing America.
"Our partnership with India is one of the United States’ most important bilateral relationships, and in fact one of the most important relationships in the world. The ties between our people are stronger than ever, and we will continue our record-setting volume of visa work in the coming months to give as many Indian applicants as possible the opportunity to travel to the United States and experience the US-India friendship firsthand," said Garcetti.
