ISLAMABAD: More than 51,000 passengers were offloaded at Pakistani airports this year after failing immigration checks, with most cases reported at Lahore and Karachi, according to a report published by Dawn.
The figures were shared during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, chaired by Aga Rafiullah. Officials told the committee that the offloading was part of a crackdown on migrant smuggling launched after the 2024 Greece boat tragedy, which claimed several Pakistani lives. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already ordered a separate inquiry into the frequent offloading of passengers, many of whom were reportedly carrying valid travel documents.
FIA’s Explanation
Dawn reported that FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja briefed lawmakers, saying passengers were stopped on the basis of document verification, data checks, and online authentication. Of the 66,000 passengers offloaded this year, 51,000 were stopped by the FIA for insufficient or unverified documentation.
He explained that many travellers lacked complete details about their courses, universities, or employment abroad, while others attempted to travel through agents using incomplete or incorrect information. Raja stressed that no passenger was cleared under political influence or VIP pressure, and noted that 180 FIA officials had been dismissed for corruption.
According to Dawn, all major airports have now been connected to NADRA’s online database, cameras have been installed at immigration counters, and AI systems are being used to identify suspicious cases in advance.
Arrests and Deportations
The committee was informed that most offloaded passengers belonged to visit, Umrah, and work visa categories. During 2025, 8.5 million people travelled abroad, while 226 cases were registered for various offences.
In the past three months, 450 people were arrested while attempting to cross into Iran illegally, while several Bangladeshi nationals were caught trying to travel to Europe via Pakistan, Dawn reported.
The FIA also told the committee that 287 people were deported last year and 170 this year for using fake documents. Separately, 24,000 Pakistanis accused of begging were deported from Saudi Arabia in 2025.
Saudi Vision 2030 Opportunities
The report noted that Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry highlighted opportunities under Saudi Vision 2030, which is expected to bring $1 trillion in investment. He said Pakistan could benefit if it provides better training to skilled manpower, pointing out that over 500,000 Pakistanis have been sent to Saudi Arabia this year.
Committee Concerns
Chairman Aga Rafiullah criticized the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, saying it was “not functioning at all.” Committee member Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry raised questions about the provision of drivers to community welfare attachés in Europe, highlighting concerns over costs and misuse of resources.
Government’s Position
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was quoted by Dawn as saying that no passenger with complete travel documents is being stopped, but those with incomplete or bogus papers will not be allowed to travel. The FIA has also initiated legal action against individuals spreading fabricated information on social media about passenger offloading.