Review meeting on measures to combat human trafficking and illegal foreign travel
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reported in a review meeting held on Saturday that this year, 451 people involved in human trafficking and illegal travel networks had been arrested. As a result, the number of Pakistanis traveling illegally to Europe fell by 47%, with similar reductions seen for illegal travel to the UK and Gulf countries.
According to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, relevant authorities are taking steps to combat human trafficking, such as the Federal Interior Minister who personally visited airports to review recent cases of unloading. “The minister’s proactive approach at airports is highly commendable,” he said.
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Key factors discussed at the meeting that contribute to illegal migration included the misuse of work, visit and tourist visas, as well as incidents of offloading and deportation. Most of the deported passengers came from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Malaysia and Oman.
He said measures against illegal travel and suspect travel documents should be managed in a way that avoids impacting travelers with valid documents.
The Prime Minister highlighted the need to improve coordination between the Immigrant Protectorate, FIA and other related institutions to ensure that people traveling legally for employment abroad do not face disruptions. Additionally, he emphasized the need to use technology to streamline the immigration process.
Prime Minister Shehbaz also called for continued efforts to root out corrupt elements within the FIA, as 196 officers and staff have already been dismissed for corruption.
The FIA has established a risk assessment unit that targets passenger screening and incorporates data on passengers deported or traveling illegally. As part of efforts to streamline processes, work is also underway to implement electronic gates at airports, and access to advanced passenger information and passenger name record data will be provided to identify potentially illegal travel documents in advance.
A mobile application is being developed to track passenger data, and the FIA’s Integrated Border Management System and Information Technology sections are being restructured to improve their efficiency. Additionally, AI is being used to strengthen surveillance and curb illegal travel.
The meeting was also attended by Federal Minister for Interior Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Economy Ahad Khan Cheema, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry and other senior government officials.
