Saudi Arabia is said to have agreed to grant Pakistani passports to thousands of Burmese Muslims living in Saudi Arabia following a request from Islamabad during the recent visit of the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister.
On May 19, 2023, during the federal cabinet meeting, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah Khan conveyed the profound thanks of the Deputy Interior Minister, on behalf of the Saudi Government, to the Prime Minister and the Government of Pakistan for agreeing to renew the passports of Burmese Muslims residing in Saudi Arabia, Business Recorder reported on Saturday.
According to information provided, Burmese Muslims who wanted a legal status in Saudi Arabia in the past had their Pakistani passports produced at the Saudi government’s request; however, these passports were not renewed after 2012, which caused problems for the Muslims in the Kingdom.
Endorsing the goodwill gesture, a member cautioned the Interior Division to ensure that these Burmese Muslims and their children were not deported to Pakistan in future.
