ISLAMABAD: During a Senate Standing Committee meeting on Overseas Pakistanis held on June 3, 2025, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, it was revealed that 135,000 Pakistanis applied for political asylum in Europe and the United States over the past two years. Of these, 125,000 applications were submitted in European countries, while over 10,000 were filed in the US.
The Director General of Passports also revealed that more than 52,000 Pakistanis were deported during the same period. Iran alone sent back 34,000 individuals attempting illegal entry, while Saudi Arabia deported 5,000 people involved in begging. In response, Pakistan has begun blocking passports of deportees and, in some cases, initiating criminal proceedings under domestic law.
This surge in asylum applications reflects growing concerns over political and economic instability, and it’s prompting a tough policy response from the Pakistani government aimed at curbing irregular migration and restoring its international image.
Official figures paint a sobering picture of the challenges Pakistan faces with irregular migration and its global image. According to official disclosures before the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, over 52,000 Pakistanis were deported in the past two years. Iran alone sent back 34,000 individuals attempting to cross its borders illegally, while Saudi Arabia deported 5,000 Pakistanis involved in organized begging rings. These deportations have triggered a strong domestic response. The issue of Pakistani nationals engaging in begging overseas has become so widespread that it’s now considered a national embarrassment. Officials estimate that millions of Pakistanis may be involved in begging, both domestically and abroad, with some even traveling on pilgrimage visas only to engage in this activity.
The temporary suspension of block work visas by Saudi Arabia is a major setback for many Pakistanis, especially those seeking employment in the Kingdom’s labor-intensive sectors like construction, domestic work, and hospitality. Pakistani recruitment agencies and employers in Saudi Arabia can’t obtain new block visa quotas until the end of June 2025. That means no fresh hiring from Pakistan under this system during this period. Manpower agencies, which rely heavily on Gulf-bound placements, are now facing contract cancellations and financial losses due to the freeze.
It is well known that many Pakistanis travel abroad on pilgrimage or visit visas and then overstay or engage in unauthorized activities. As a result, some embassies have even begun sharing lists of individuals involved in illegal acts with Pakistani authorities. Recent revelations surrounding the so-called grooming gangs in the UK—many involving men of Pakistani descent—have been a source of deep embarrassment for both the Pakistani government and diaspora communities.
In the past the Pakistani government has been largely silent or defensive, but growing international attention—and now criticism from high-profile figures like Elon Musk—has made it harder to ignore. Pakistan faces increasing pressure to address the behavior of its nationals abroad.
In response to rising concerns over visa misuse and illegal stay, countries like the UAE, Italy, the UK, and others in Europe have suspended student visa programs for Pakistani applicants.
Some embassies have even begun sharing lists of Pakistani nationals involved in illegal acts with Pakistani authorities. To fast-track deportations, many countries are now bypassing lengthy legal proceedings by invoking Pakistan’s Passport Act, which allows for immediate repatriation without trial. Once deported, individuals often face passport cancellations, are placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), and may be subject to criminal penalties if found guilty of offenses abroad. This crackdown is part of a broader international response to rising irregular migration and asylum claims.
The Senate committee’s findings clearly reflect a widening desperation among many Pakistanis, especially the youth, who see little hope for upward mobility at home and end up in low-paid, menial or informal jobs abroad—often with little protection, dignity, or legal recourse.
The mass migration of Pakistanis to foreign shores is not merely a demographic trend—it is a reflection of deep-rooted systemic failure. Endemic economic disparity, poor access to quality education, and chronic unemployment have left millions with little choice but to look elsewhere for survival and dignity. For many, seeking asylum or resorting to undocumented labor abroad is not a decision made lightly—it is a last resort born of hopelessness at home.
The tragedy deepens when the pursuit of opportunity devolves into patterns of reprehensible behavior and criminal activity overseas, tarnishing the country’s global image. When individuals take extreme steps like seeking asylum or working illegally just to make ends meet, it’s not a personal failure; it’s a mirror held up to the state of domestic conditions.
The fact that many are returning involuntarily—deported, disillusioned, and sometimes even criminalized—makes the picture even starker. The growing number of deportations—individuals returning not with success stories, but in chains of shame—serves as a damning verdict on the state’s inability to safeguard its citizens’ futures. Without meaningful reforms that address skills development, job creation, governance, and security, the trend may worsen.
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