Pakistan tops list of 'illegal overstayers' after Umrah: report

E-Paper | June 14, 2026

Pakistan has topped the list of countries with the highest number of illegal overstayers after the 2016-2017 Umrah season, Arab News reported on Tuesday.

According to Arab News, the 6,905 pilgrims from Pakistan stayed in Saudi Arabia illegally after the pilgrimage season was over.

Pakistan was followed by Nigeria with 1,629 overstayers and Egypt with 1,081, the daily added.

Indonesia, which had the second highest number of overstayers in the 2015-2016 Umrah season, came in at the fourth place with 592 illegal people. It was followed by Sudan, Arab News said.

According to an article published by the Saudi Gazette in February, Saudi Arabia deported more than 39,000 Pakistanis in the four months prior to the report for "violating the rules of residence and work".

Over 100 Pakistanis were deported by the Gulf state on the charges of overstay in the kingdom in 2015. "Most of them travelled to Saudi Arabia on Umrah visa, but slipped there to find work," an official had said at the time.

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

Saudi Arabia deported 39,000 Pakistanis in last four months: report

Qatar introduces visa on arrival facility for Pakistani travellers

Saudi Arabia extends Umrah season by one month

Oct 25, 2017 02:24pm

We should take note of this and stop such people from giving the nation a bad name.

Recommend 0

amit

Oct 25, 2017 02:32pm

Another Feather in the cap

Recommend 0

Vishal Gaur

Oct 25, 2017 02:39pm

It will definitely lead to rejection of Visa's for genuine cases.

Recommend 0

BitterTruth

Oct 25, 2017 02:53pm

Nice one Pakistan

Recommend 0

Deepak kumar

Oct 25, 2017 02:56pm

Pakistan, Nigeria & Egypt !! The land of pure always gets friends of its repute in every domain !! Some other lists have them paired with Somaliya & North Korea !!

Recommend 0

Hmmwattosay

Oct 25, 2017 02:58pm

Once CPEC comes, everyone can stay illegally in CPEC

Recommend 0

Nazar

Oct 25, 2017 03:02pm

Very very bad omen, indeed.

Recommend 0

John

Oct 25, 2017 03:18pm

CPEC has started showing the effects. Pakistan is topping many lists these days.

Recommend 0

Guru

Oct 25, 2017 03:20pm

Illegal here too?

Recommend 0

Nomansland

Oct 25, 2017 03:32pm

Lol... the gap with the second position is so ahead that im not even mad, that's amazing !!

Recommend 0

Mannan

Oct 25, 2017 03:46pm

The problem is that Pakistan Embassy (PE) itself does not take action against those people who are culprit. PE should punish such people.

Recommend 0

Blue Knight

Oct 25, 2017 04:00pm

Sad.. Poor guys have to come back to the land of pure.. Is anyone listening .. please provide these poor fellas jobs, so they can lead their life with dignity..

Recommend 0

Salman

Oct 25, 2017 04:03pm

Another star on the chest

Recommend 0

RAJA CHILL

Oct 25, 2017 04:06pm

No surprise here.

Recommend 0

Jawad

Oct 25, 2017 04:12pm

Going to Umrah ( washing the sins ) and then staying illegally at the very place

Recommend 0

Ashwin

Oct 25, 2017 04:20pm

@Hmmwattosay Will CPEC complete by 2020 ??

Recommend 0

Yash

Oct 25, 2017 04:40pm

How could a brother Muslim country deport 39000 individuals from another brotherly Muslim country?

Recommend 0

husaina

Oct 25, 2017 04:45pm

Look on the positive side. They have guts to face new challenges and dare to step into the unknown. Staying illegally is not something small, it shows the determination of people to make it. But at the same time we cannot encourage illegal immigration

Recommend 0

shail

Oct 25, 2017 05:30pm

Really, the politician should see that pakistan is doing first in so many things. Its a alarming situation guys

Recommend 0

Haris

Oct 25, 2017 05:54pm

Saudia should handle this. They make billions out of Pilgrim visits. They should find a way to find and control such illegal people.

Recommend 0

Haris

Oct 25, 2017 05:56pm

@Jo what can Pakistan govt do abt this? These people are issued visa by saudia. Pakistan cannot stop them. If Saudia allows someone to come in their country, it becomes their responsibility to find and catch any wrongdoing happening there.

Recommend 0

Usterzai

Oct 25, 2017 06:19pm

Wow, right back to gr8 deeds after performing Umrah.

Recommend 0

ample reverence 4 KSA & Pak Army

Oct 25, 2017 06:27pm

And they say Saudis treat discriminately with them??????

Recommend 0

Justice 2

Oct 25, 2017 06:33pm

Does it include Nawaz Sharif who it seems is still in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and now on his way to Madina. Shocking that he uses his wife’s illness as an excuse for not attending accountability court yet he is travelling in Saudi Arabia to arrange an NRO. It therefore confirms that his wife’s illness is no so serious.

Recommend 0

SHARARAT

Oct 25, 2017 06:55pm

Maybe these people despise the military rule and living conditions in Pakistan so they stayed there

Recommend 0

Desi Dimag

Oct 25, 2017 07:18pm

Corrupt and greedy society.

Recommend 0

optimist

Oct 25, 2017 07:52pm

Pakistan should provide more job opportunity and stop giving jobs just to relatives and friends of the ministers specially in Sind. The other ticking time bomb for Pakistan is the population growth, if not put in control there will be severe food and water crisis plus law & order situation as hungry people must eat to live.

Recommend 0

Leoman

Oct 25, 2017 08:16pm

@Jo how many places and how many will and can be stopped, moreover, how to stop is the real hurdle .

Recommend 0

Leoman

Oct 25, 2017 08:18pm

@Mannan and what if embassy has involvement of some kind ?

Recommend 0

alba

Oct 25, 2017 10:24pm

@husaina ..... Undocumented workers without jobs are deported. The uneducated do not have a clue that Saudi Arabia is in an economic slump and that jobs are not increasing because infrastructure projects and business expansion is on hold.

Recommend 0

SyedChaudhryGangaDinKhan

Oct 26, 2017 01:17am

"Pakistan tops list of 'illegal overstayers' after Umrah: report" Nothing new. Pakistanis are well known thieves and liars.

Recommend 0

Oct 26, 2017 03:34am

The clear message is, people want to escape from Pakistan at any cost. Same thing for Chinese.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Why SQD-Mini LED is the display breakthrough we’ve been waiting for?

The display industry is entering a new phase, where reducing trade-offs is as important as pushing performance limits.

The Palms at Silk Gardens introduces a new family address in Karachi

The Palms places families at the heart of its vision, offering thoughtfully planned 2 and 3-bedroom units in a secure, peaceful and community-led environment.