AS an overseas Pakistani residing in Saudi Arabia, I feel compelled to talk about the recent warning issued by the Saudi authorities to Pakistan regarding the increasing number of beggars from our homeland. This is a troubling reflection of the state of our society, and raises crucial questions about the direction we, as a nation, are heading.

It is unfortunate that a growing number of Pakistanis, often under the guise of pilgrims or job-seekers, arrive here only to resort to begging, tarnishing the image of Pakistan and damaging the credibility of those who genuinely seek to improve their lives abroad through honest work.

We must ask ourselves as to why our fellow citizens are being driven to such desperate actions.

As such, is it solely poverty, or is it the lack of opportunities, inadequate educ-ation, or systemic failures that have compelled them to resort to begging in foreign lands?

Unfortunately, this rather alarming situation not only damages Pakistan’s reputation internationally, but also affects the dignity of all Pakistanis who work hard to contribute positively to society.

No doubt, overseas Pakistanis play a vital role in supporting the national economy through remittances, but this positive contribution is overshadowed by the unfortunate actions of a few.

As a nation, we need to wake up. We must address the root causes of poverty and unemployment within Pakistan.

It is time for introspection and action. We need to build a Pakistan that is res-pected abroad not for the hardships of its people, but for their skills, resilience as well as contributions to the global community.

For this, the government must punish severely all those involved in begging abroad and bringing a bad name to the country and its citizens across the world.

Zarsha Naveed
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024