FIA Defends Offloading of Nearly 40,000 Travellers as Part of Anti-Smuggling Drive

By Zeeshan Khan :

Pakistan’s immigration authorities have defended the offloading of nearly 40,000 passengers from international flights this year, saying the measure is a crucial tool in combating human smuggling, irregular migration and exploitation of citizens abroad.

Speaking to senior journalists on Sunday, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration Additional Director General Nouman Siddiqui said a total of 39,786 passengers were stopped from travelling in 2025 under what he described as a lawful, intelligence-based and risk-driven immigration system.

The official rejected allegations that offloading decisions were arbitrary, maintaining that immigration officers act on the basis of documented concerns, travel patterns, risk assessments, document verification and destination-country requirements.

“Offloading is not intended to punish travellers but to protect them,” Siddiqui said, adding that the primary objective was to prevent citizens from falling victim to human traffickers and dangerous migration routes that have claimed hundreds of Pakistani lives in recent years.

The FIA’s stricter approach follows a series of migration-related tragedies, including the deadly Greece boat disaster in June 2023, which highlighted the dangers faced by Pakistanis attempting to reach Europe through illegal channels. Authorities say the incident prompted a comprehensive review of immigration procedures and anti-smuggling operations.

According to FIA figures, approximately 460 Pakistanis have been affected by irregular migration-related incidents during the past three years, with at least 377 deaths reported. Data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) indicates that 109 Pakistani nationals lost their lives in 2025 alone while attempting illegal migration journeys.

Immigration authorities say many of the travellers stopped at airports were found to be using suspicious travel routes, forged documentation, fake employment offers, fraudulent sponsorship arrangements or transit patterns commonly associated with organised trafficking networks.

To strengthen enforcement, the FIA developed a specialised Risk Analysis Unit that uses five separate traveller risk profiles to identify potentially vulnerable or suspicious passengers. Officials said these profiles are regularly updated to respond to changing migration trends.

The agency also highlighted the scale of its broader crackdown on human smuggling. Since December 2024, authorities have registered 2,421 cases against suspected traffickers and arrested 3,130 individuals allegedly involved in smuggling operations. Investigators have seized assets worth nearly Rs962 million, recovered more than Rs87 million and frozen bank accounts containing approximately Rs240 million.

Officials claim these efforts have produced measurable results. Deportations linked to organised begging reportedly declined by 75 per cent, while deportations resulting from forged documents fell by 31 per cent. Overall deportations of Pakistani nationals from foreign countries decreased by 16 per cent compared with the previous year.

The FIA also cited European border agency Frontex data, which showed a 64 per cent reduction in illegal border crossings by Pakistani nationals into Europe during the first two months of the 2025-26 period.

Siddiqui clarified that not all passengers prevented from travelling were stopped by FIA immigration officials. Besides the 39,786 travellers offloaded on immigration grounds, another 34,688 passengers were unable to travel due to factors unrelated to the FIA, including flight cancellations, technical problems, weather disruptions, airline issues, seasonal border closures or interventions by agencies such as Customs, the Anti-Narcotics Force, Airport Security Force and police departments.

In an effort to minimise inconvenience for legitimate travellers, the FIA has introduced pre-departure facilitation desks at its zonal offices, allowing passengers to verify travel documents before purchasing tickets. A round-the-clock helpline has also been established to handle complaints and provide guidance.

Officials said passengers who believe they were wrongly offloaded can immediately seek a review from the relevant immigration authorities and may be allowed to travel if concerns are resolved.

Siddiqui acknowledged that immigration officers often face difficult decisions under intense public scrutiny, particularly when travellers initially appear genuine but further investigation reveals links to suspicious networks.

He warned that failing to intervene in such cases could expose individuals to detention abroad, exploitation by traffickers, forced labour or even loss of life.

The FIA is currently pursuing legislative reforms aimed at strengthening immigration controls while introducing clearer legal remedies for passengers affected by offloading decisions. Authorities have also established a Joint Working Group comprising representatives from the FIA, the Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, and the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis to facilitate legal migration while enhancing anti-smuggling efforts.

The immigration chief stressed that Pakistan’s border controls are intended to balance security with public facilitation, ensuring that genuine travellers can move freely while preventing criminal networks from exploiting vulnerable citizens.

“Our objective is to facilitate lawful travel while preventing human trafficking, irregular migration and the tragic loss of Pakistani lives abroad,” Siddiqui said.

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