Pakistan, May 25 -- The government's move to cancel passports and register FIRs against deported Pakistanis is being framed as a step toward protecting national dignity. The logic that such individuals embarrass the country abroad reflects a growing focus on perception over policy. But punishing the powerless seldom improves a nation's standing.

There's no denying the troubling statistics. Saudi Arabia has deported over 5,000 Pakistani beggars in the past 16 months alone. These stories (many more flowing in from other corners of the world) are reminders of the economic despair that drives people to desperate choices. Addressing this is a valid policy goal. But criminalizing the returnees en masse, regardless of individual circumstances, ...