According to Pakistan's Daily Dawn newspaper, 4,700 beggars have been deported from Saudi Arabia. Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan's Federal Minister for Defence, stated that there are about 22 million beggars in Pakistan, generating an annual income of at least Rs 42 billion. He expressed concerns that the rising number of beggars is harming the country’s image abroad while addressing members of the Pakistan Ready-Made Garments Manufacturer and Exporters Association in Sialkot.