ISLAMABAD, June 4 -- A Senate committee learned on Tuesday that 135,000 Pakistanis applied for asylum in Europe and the US over the last two years. Of these, 125,000 sought refuge in various European countries, while more than 10,000 applied in the United States. This information was shared by the Director General of Passports during a meeting chaired by Senator Zeeshan Khanzada.

The DG also revealed that over 52,000 Pakistanis were deported during the same period. Iran deported 34,000 Pakistanis trying to enter illegally, while Saudi Arabia sent back 5,000 Pakistanis involved in begging. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has cut down its work visa quota and tightened visa rules for Pakistanis.

Officials confirmed that some countries like the UAE,...