More than 51,000 passengers failed immigration checks. Authorities offloaded them at Pakistani airports this year, lawmakers learned during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis on Wednesday. Most offloading incidents occurred at Lahore and Karachi airports. These incidents drew public attention in recent months after reports that officials stopped travellers despite valid travel documents.
The crackdown intensified after the 2024 Greece boat tragedy, in which several Pakistanis lost their lives. This tragic event prompted authorities to take stricter action against migrant smuggling networks. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also established a committee to investigate the rise in offloading complaints.
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja told the committee that, of the 66,000 passengers offloaded this year, FIA officials stopped 51,000 due to incomplete or unverifiable documentation. “Officials offload passengers based on document verification, data checks, and online authentication,” Raja said. He added that many travellers lacked complete information about their courses, universities, or employment arrangements abroad.
Raja said several cases involved passengers attempting to travel through agents using incorrect or incomplete details. He stressed that officials had not cleared any passenger under political influence or VIP pressure. Lawmakers also heard that all major airports now connect to NADRA’s online database to strengthen immigration controls. In contrast, cameras at immigration counters feed live monitoring in a central control room. Moreover, artificial intelligence tools flag suspicious cases in advance.
Read: FIA Clarifies Passenger Offloading Reasons at Pakistani Airports
Most offloaded passengers were on visit, Umrah, and work visas, the committee learned. Around 8.5 million Pakistanis travelled abroad this year, and authorities registered 226 cases of various immigration-related offences. Raja further disclosed that 180 FIA officials involved in corruption have lost their jobs. In addition, 450 people were arrested over the past three months while attempting to cross into Iran illegally. Officials intercepted Bangladeshi nationals travelling on Pakistani tourist visas as they tried to reach Europe.
In addition, authorities deported 287 people last year and 170 this year for using fake documents. Meanwhile, 24,000 individuals accused of begging were deported from Saudi Arabia this year. Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, Nadeem Aslam Chaudhry, told the panel that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, expected to attract up to $1 trillion in investment, will create significant employment opportunities. Pakistan can tap into these opportunities by improving workforce skills training.
According to official data, 451,000 Pakistanis travelled to Saudi Arabia last year, and more than 500,000 have done so this year. Committee chairman Aga Rafiullah criticised the National Vocational and Technical Training Commission’s performance. He said it has failed to offer long-term solutions. At the same time, member Muhammad Ilyas Chaudhry raised concerns about the provision of drivers for community welfare attachés in Europe. He questioned the cost and necessity of assigning Grade 17 and 18 officers.
