Around 135,000 Pakistanis have applied for political asylum in Western countries over the past two years, while more than 52,000 have been deported from neighboring nations, including a large number from Iran, officials revealed during a recent session of the Senate Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis.

The meeting, chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada, featured a briefing from the Director General of Passports, who disclosed that 125,000 asylum applications were filed by Pakistanis in Europe, with over 10,000 seeking refuge in the United States.

The DG explained that while some countries opt to deport undocumented Pakistani arrivals immediately rather than imprison them, others have taken stricter measures. Last year alone, 34,000 Pakistanis were deported from Iran, and the passports of these deportees have since been blocked. Those found guilty of criminal offenses face severe legal consequences.

The committee also learned that more than 10.3 million skilled Pakistani professionals are currently working abroad, highlighting the country’s significant overseas workforce.

Officials from the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis informed the committee that Saudi Arabia has recently reduced visa allocations for Pakistani workers and introduced tougher eligibility requirements.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reported that over 52,000 Pakistanis have been deported since 2023, including 5,000 individuals expelled from Saudi Arabia for involvement in begging.