More than 51,000 passengers were prevented from boarding international flights at Pakistani airports this year after failing immigration checks, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed a National Assembly panel on Wednesday.
According to the FIA, Lahore and Karachi airports recorded the highest number of offloaded passengers during the period under review.
FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja told lawmakers that passengers were offloaded following document verification, data scrutiny, and online authentication checks. He said that out of 66,000 passengers offloaded overall, around 51,000 were stopped due to insufficient, incomplete, or unverifiable documentation.
The FIA chief added that many passengers were unable to provide clear details about their educational institutions, enrolled courses, or overseas employment, which raised red flags during immigration clearance.
PM Forms Committee to Address Passenger Offloading at Airports
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the repeated offloading of passengers from international flights.
The decision comes after reports that many travellers were stopped from boarding flights despite having valid travel documents, causing concern and frustration among passengers.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 14-member high-level committee to review the growing number of complaints about Pakistani passengers being offloaded at airports despite holding valid travel documents. The move comes after widespread public criticism and concern, particularly from overseas Pakistanis and migrant workers.
Over the past month, several passengers reported being stopped from boarding international flights at different airports, even though they had complete documentation. These incidents triggered strong reactions on social media, with many questioning the transparency and fairness of airport clearance procedures.
Background: Crackdown on Illegal Immigration
The issue surfaced amid Pakistan’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration and human trafficking. In recent years, authorities have arrested both Pakistani and foreign nationals attempting to travel using forged visas, fake work permits, or fraudulent documents.
While the government keeps on monitoring to protect Pakistan’s international image and prevent exploitation, critics keep on arguing that genuine travelers and workers are often caught in the process, facing humiliation, financial loss, and missed employment opportunities abroad.
Composition of the Review Committee
As per a notification issued by the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, the committee includes key government stakeholders. Among its members are:
• The Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis (who will chair the committee)
• The Federal Minister for IT
• The State Minister for Overseas Pakistanis
• Secretaries of relevant ministries and departments
The diverse composition reflects the government’s intent to address the issue from both administrative and technological perspectives.
Read more: New FIA rule hit hundreds of Pakistanis leaving the country on work visas
Focus on Reducing Human Discretion
One of the committee’s main tasks is to examine how to eliminate or minimize human discretion in the issuance and renewal of the Protectorate of Emigrants (PoE) stamp. This stamp is mandatory for Pakistani citizens traveling abroad for employment and has often been cited as a major cause of delays and disputes at airports.
Excessive reliance on manual checks, officials believe, creates room for inconsistency, miscommunication, and unnecessary offloading.
Push for Digital Solutions
The committee has been directed to propose a fully digitized, end-to-end online system for issuing and renewing the PoE stamp. This is going to
- Minimize paperwork
- Speed up processing
- Bring greater transparency to the system
Additionally, the panel will suggest mechanisms to keep a check on workers’ satisfaction, making sure that emigrants can provide feedback on the issuance, renewal, and immigration clearance processes.
Timeline and Government Stance
The committee is anticipated to submit its report within three weeks. Notably, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had already given instructions to the authorities last month to avoid offloading passengers who possess valid travel documents.
The government hopes these reforms will restore trust among overseas-bound Pakistanis and ensure that security measures do not come at the cost of citizens’ dignity and livelihoods.