Four arrested in Sialkot over alleged beggary in Saudi Arabia

SIALKOT: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said it has arrested four people, including three women, in Sialkot in connection with alleged beggary in Saudi Arabia.

According to the FIA, the suspects were taken into custody during a raid carried out by the agency’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Sialkot. The agency identified the arrested individuals as three women and one man.

The FIA said the action was part of an ongoing crackdown against organised begging networks and human smuggling. The suspects had allegedly travelled to Saudi Arabia for beggary.

Case registered after raid

The agency said a case had been registered against the four suspects and that further investigation was under way. The arrests were made after information was received about their alleged involvement in begging activities in Saudi Arabia.

Officials said the suspects belonged to Sialkot district. The FIA said they were being questioned and that more arrests could be made as the inquiry progresses.

The development comes amid continued action by the FIA against people accused of using overseas travel for begging and other unlawful activities. The agency has previously said such practices damage the country’s reputation abroad and can create difficulties for genuine travellers.

In recent months, the FIA has reported multiple actions against suspected members of gangs involved in sending people abroad for beggary. The agency has said it is pursuing cases through its anti-human trafficking units in different cities.

The agency did not provide further details in the brief account of the arrests, but said legal proceedings had been initiated in accordance with the law.

Authorities have repeatedly linked such cases to wider efforts to curb human trafficking and misuse of travel documents. The FIA said its campaign against these activities would continue.

The arrests in Sialkot add to a series of recent cases in which Pakistani authorities have moved against individuals accused of travelling to Gulf countries for begging. The matter has drawn official attention in the context of broader enforcement measures targeting illegal migration and trafficking-related offences.