The Senate’s Standing Committee for Interior has unanimously approved bills that increase sanctions to beg and strengthen measures against human smuggling.
The committee, chairman of Senator Faisal Saleem, reviewed and approved the prevention of smuggling of migrants’ bill presented by the government.
During the session, domestic secretary Khurram Agha highlighted the rising cases of human trafficking and emphasized the importance of stricter laws. He said the proposed legislation includes measures to ensure stronger conviction and harsher penalties for offenders.
Senator Shahadat Awan supported the move and said that harsher sanctions would prevent suspects from ensuring easy bail.
Previously, the maximum sentence for human smuggling was seven years, but under the new bill it will be expanded to ten years.
The committee unanimously approved the bill.
Following this, the committee also reviewed a bill that increased penalties for those involved in organized begging.
The Ministry of Ministry clarified that the new legislation is not only targeted at individuals who participate in begging, but also those who facilitate and force others to it.
According to the revised law:
- Facilitators for Tigging and individuals who force others to beg will have up to 10 years in prison.
- Stricter measures will be enforced to limit organized beggar networks.
The committee unanimously approved the bill and moved it closer to being allowed.
Earlier, the FIA deportation of 10 suspects confirmed from Saudi Arabia who had traveled to the Kingdom of Umrah -Visa, but was found to beg.
Pakistan is concerned that such individuals who engage in begging abroad have a negative impact on the experience of legitimate pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah or Hajj.
Reports suggest that Riyadh has raised the question with Islamabad several times in the past year. In November 2023, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assured that a nationwide “effective crash” was underway against Pakistanis who used Umrah or Hajj -visa to beg in Saudi -Arabia.
