A file photo of Islamabad International Airport. PHOTO: AFP
RAWALPINDI:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has dismissed social media claims that Pakistanis traveling abroad on work and visit visas are being stopped at airports as mere rumours.
Captain (retd) Ali Zia, FIA Lahore Zonal Director, issued a detailed clarification in a video message on Thursday. He said some elements use AI-generated videos and images to give the impression that passengers are being disembarked for no reason and that those who go abroad to look for work are discouraged.
He said this propaganda had no connection with reality. Passengers holding valid visas and complete travel documents are not stopped and no obstacles are created for them; instead, FIA staff facilitate them and send them out respectfully.
He said the real challenge at airports lies with passengers who fall prey to human smugglers, i.e. those who change their itinerary under the pretext of transit or change their travel objectives mid-trip, leading to deportation.
He added that human trafficking has not only caused loss of lives and ransom demands for Pakistani citizens but has also negatively affected Pakistan’s reputation and the value of its passport. For this reason, many countries have tightened their visa policies for Pakistanis.
Zia clarified that FIA Immigration only arrests passengers whose documents are incomplete or whose visas and work permits raise doubts, especially in cases where overseas businesses do not actually exist or where human trafficking issues arise.
He said offloading decisions are only made after full investigation and profiling, so people should not pay attention to rumors. He noted that thousands of Pakistanis travel abroad every day.
“We say goodbye to those who leave and welcome those who return,” he said.
For any complaints or queries, passengers can directly contact the FIA Zonal Offices or the Deputy Director of Immigration. He warned everyone not to give money to anyone for immigration formalities because the only goal of this propaganda network is financial gain.
The FIA also initiated action under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act, 2016 (PECA) against those involved in spreading fabricated propaganda on social media regarding passengers disembarked through immigration.
Initially, more than 15 social media accounts were identified as being involved in organized and baseless propaganda and promoting provincial discord. We learned that the FIA had traced the accounts spreading false information and initiated proceedings.
According to sources, FIA Immigration at the country’s airports has been carrying out strict profiling for several months while screening passengers traveling abroad for the first time on a work or visit visa.
During this process, those who cannot satisfy immigration officials or whose travel documents are incomplete are subject to scrutiny. In a few cases, some of these passengers are taken off flights and asked to complete missing documents.
However, many passengers suffer heavy financial losses due to the loss of their tickets. This situation sparked a wave of criticism on various social media pages targeting the immigration process.
Over the past few months, numerous incidents have been reported involving travelers disembarking from flights at various airports, despite having valid travel documents. The actions follow a crackdown on migrant smuggling after a boat tragedy in Greece last year that claimed the lives of several Pakistanis. Earlier this month, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar acknowledged that incidents of people disembarking had been reported at Lahore and Karachi airports and that investigations were underway.
The rate of disembarked passengers from certain cities, age groups and specific destinations has seen an increase over the past two months. However, the increased vigilance of immigration personnel is irritating for genuine businessmen and tourists.
