A woman returning from Saudi Arabia was arrested at the airport for allegedly begging while pretending to perform Umrah, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Thursday.
The suspect, identified as Gul Shana, admitted to earning an average of 100 Saudi riyals daily through begging during her stay in the Kingdom, according to an FIA spokesperson. Authorities noted that she lacked knowledge of basic Umrah rituals, raising suspicion about her activities.
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Family members also involved in begging
The investigation revealed that the woman’s husband and other relatives were also involved in similar activities in Saudi Arabia. She has been handed over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Karachi for further inquiry.
Pakistan has been under scrutiny for a surge in begging cases in Saudi Arabia. To tackle the issue, authorities recently added over 4,000 individuals to the Exit Control List (ECL) to prevent them from traveling abroad for begging.
Further investigations are underway.
