RAWALPINDI: As many as 199 Pakistanis deported from Saudi Arabia, arrived here at Benazir Bhutto Airport on Friday.

According to the Federal Investigation Agency’s immigration, the Pakistani were rounded up by the Saudi authorities on the charges of overstaying.

Soon after their arrival they were handed over to the FIA’s immigration staff who briefly investigated them and later allowed them to go to their homes.

When contacted the director of FIA’s anti-human smuggling wing Inam Ghani said all of the deportees were overstaying in Saudi Arabia.

They were freed after initial interviews because none of them had committed any crime, either there in Saudi Arabia or in Pakistan.

“None of the deportees was involved in any crime as they were overstaying there,” the deputy director said.

The Saudi authorities have started rounding up and deporting foreigners working illegally in the kingdom.

The Pakistanis, who were deported back to their home country were rounded up by the Saudi authorities during their campaign to enforce labour laws.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2014