The FIA Immigration Wing on Tuesday uncovered an organised beggary network operating in Saudi Arabia, involving the illegal transfer of funds through hawala/hundi channels.
According to FIA immigration authorities, two passengers — identified as Jameel and Guriya Bibi, residents of Faisalabad — arrived in Karachi on Pakistani passports as routine passengers from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and were intercepted during immigration clearance on suspicion. One of the passengers was a woman, while the other was a young man who was physically impaired and used a wheelchair.
During initial questioning, it was revealed that both individuals had travelled abroad on Umrah visas. The suspects admitted that their travel had been arranged through an agent, Kashmir Ali, a resident of Jhelum.
Further investigation exposed the existence of an organised beggary network operating in Saudi Arabia. The network reportedly collected money through begging activities in the country and transferred the funds to an agent based in Canada via hawala/hundi channels. The accused also disclosed the name of a facilitator, Iftikhar alias “Wakeel,” who was allegedly running this transnational network and sending individuals to different countries for begging.
