ISLAMABAD (MNN); The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis was informed on Wednesday that 51,000 passengers were offloaded at various Pakistani airports this year after failing immigration clearance, with the highest number of cases reported at Lahore and Karachi airports.
The briefing was given during a meeting of the committee chaired by Agha Rafiullah. Officials said the offloading followed stricter immigration scrutiny launched after the 2024 Greece boat tragedy, in which several Pakistani nationals lost their lives, prompting a nationwide crackdown on migrant smuggling networks.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also constituted a committee to investigate the increasing complaints of passengers being offloaded from international flights, including those holding valid travel documents.
Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Riffat Mukhtar Raja told the committee that passengers are stopped after document verification, data screening, and online authentication. He said that out of 66,000 passengers offloaded this year, 51,000 were stopped by the FIA due to insufficient or unverifiable documentation.
According to the DG FIA, many passengers lacked complete details regarding their educational institutions, academic courses, or overseas employment. In several cases, travellers attempted to depart using incomplete or incorrect information arranged through agents.
The committee was also informed that 180 FIA officials involved in corrupt practices had been dismissed, while all major airports had been linked with NADRA’s online database to strengthen immigration oversight.
Raja emphasized that no passenger was cleared under political pressure or VIP influence. He added that surveillance cameras had been installed at immigration counters nationwide, with monitoring carried out from a central control room. He further disclosed that artificial intelligence is now being used to identify suspicious cases in advance.
Most of the offloaded passengers belonged to visit, Umrah, and work visa categories. During the current year, approximately 8.5 million Pakistanis travelled abroad, while 226 cases were registered for various immigration-related offences.
Over the past three months, 450 individuals were arrested while attempting to illegally cross into Iran. The DG FIA also revealed that several Bangladeshi nationals were caught trying to travel illegally to Europe via Pakistan using Pakistani tourist visas.
He informed lawmakers that 287 individuals were deported last year and 170 this year for using fake documents. Additionally, 24,000 Pakistanis accused of begging were deported from Saudi Arabia during the current year.
Meanwhile, Secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry told the committee that Saudi Arabia is set to receive $1 trillion in investment under Vision 2030, creating significant employment opportunities. He said Pakistan could benefit if it improved training for skilled manpower.
The secretary added that 451,000 Pakistanis travelled to Saudi Arabia last year, while over 500,000 have been sent during the current year.
Committee chairman Agha Rafiullah criticized the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission, stating that it was not functioning effectively and that issues were being addressed temporarily rather than permanently.
Committee member Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry raised concerns over the provision of drivers to community welfare attachés posted abroad, questioning why Grade 17 and 18 officers were being assigned drivers in Europe and highlighting the associated costs.
Earlier this month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi stated that no passenger with complete and valid documents was being stopped from travelling, while those carrying incomplete or fake documents would not be allowed to depart. He added that individuals who could bring disrepute to the country would not be permitted to travel.
In November, the FIA reiterated that offloading occurs only when passengers lack valid documents or are suspected of links with migrant smugglers, adding that legal action had also been initiated against those spreading false information on social media regarding passenger offloading.
