Islamabad: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis that 51,000 passengers were offloaded at Pakistani airports this year. Most cases happened at Lahore and Karachi airports. The meeting was chaired by Aga Rafiullah and focused on border security and immigration checks.
Reasons for Offloading
DG FIA Riffat Mukhtar Raja said passengers are stopped after document verification and online checks. Many lacked full information about their courses, universities, or jobs abroad. Some tried to travel through agents using incomplete or false documents. Out of 66,000 passengers offloaded, 51,000 were stopped due to insufficient or unverified documents. Most affected travelers were on visit, Umrah, or work visas.
Measures and Opportunities
The FIA dismissed 180 officials involved in corruption and linked all airports to NADRA’s online database. Cameras were installed at immigration counters, and AI systems detect suspicious cases. 450 people were arrested for illegal crossings to Iran, while several Bangladeshi nationals were stopped trying to reach Europe. 24,000 beggars were deported from Saudi Arabia.
On the positive side, Saudi Vision 2030 will bring $1 trillion in investment, creating jobs for Pakistanis. Over 500,000 Pakistanis traveled to Saudi Arabia this year. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi assured that passengers with valid documents will not be stopped, while those with fake or incomplete papers will be denied travel.
Parliamentary Oversight
Committee members raised concerns over inefficiencies in the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis. Agha Rafiullah criticized the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission for not functioning effectively. Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry questioned why Grade 17–18 officers posted in Europe were being provided drivers, highlighting unnecessary costs. Officials emphasized the need to improve training, resource allocation, and accountability to support Pakistani workers abroad.
