India, Dec. 18 -- Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have tightened scrutiny of Pakistani nationals amid growing concerns over organised begging and criminal activities abroad, a trend Pakistani authorities acknowledge is damaging the country's international image, media reports said.

Saudi Arabia alone deported around 24,000 Pakistani nationals this year on allegations of begging, while the UAE has imposed visa restrictions on most Pakistani citizens, citing concerns that some individuals were engaging in criminal activities after entering the country.

FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar said such networks were causing serious reputational harm to Pakistan. He noted that the problem is not limited to Gulf countries, with similar...