Travelers denounce humiliating treatment and authorities’ refusal to provide explanations
RAWALPINDI:
Allegations of inexperience, negligence and administrative indifference within the immigration wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at the new Islamabad International Airport have surfaced following two separate incidents in which Pakistani passengers were allegedly deboarded from international flights despite having valid travel documents and visas.
According to complaints filed by affected passengers, not only junior immigration staff but also senior administrative officials failed to handle the issue appropriately. The incidents involved two Pakistani citizens traveling separately to South Africa and Turkey, both of whom claim they were prevented from boarding despite having complete legal documents.
Passengers accused FIA immigration officers of humiliating behavior and refusal to provide satisfactory explanations for unloading decisions.
Efforts were made to get a response from the deputy director of immigration at the new Islamabad International Airport, Hina Munawar, as well as the FIA spokesperson, but no official statement was issued despite repeated requests for comment.
A passenger, identified as Shehzad Gondal, recorded a video at the airport which was later shared widely on social media. In the footage, he states that he had a valid South African visa to travel from Islamabad to Cape Town, as well as confirmed hotel reservations, a return ticket worth 550,000 rupees and around US$1,500 for travel expenses.
Gondal claimed he had traveled extensively over the past 20 years and had several visas and travel documents in his passport. However, he alleged that FIA immigration officials deported him without providing a clear justification, repeatedly claiming that South Africa had imposed restrictions preventing Pakistani nationals from traveling on newly issued visas.
Questioning the rationale for the move, the passenger said if South Africa had granted him a visa after charging the required fee in dollars, then any decision regarding deportation should rest with South African authorities rather than Pakistani immigration officials.
He further complained that despite prolonged waiting and repeated requests, he had not been able to meet the deputy director, who allegedly refused to see him from her office. Gondal appealed to the interior minister and the FIA director general to take notice of the incident and ensure justice is done.
In another recent case, a businessman identified as Abrar, allegedly involved in metal trading, claimed that he too was taken off a flight at the Lahore airport. According to the passenger, immigration staff objected after noticing a TikTok video of a travel agent appearing on his cellphone screen.
Abrar claimed he repeatedly offered to allow officials to inspect his phone and check whether he had any contact or communications with agents involved in illegal immigration, but alleged his explanations were ignored.
He said that after traveling to Islamabad and obtaining verification of his travel documents from an FIA office, he again attempted to leave the Islamabad airport for abroad, but was once again denied permission to travel.
He further alleged that an FIA immigration officer tore up his boarding pass, despite his repeated appeals to return it so that he could at least seek a refund for his plane ticket.
Despite repeated attempts to contact FIA immigration authorities regarding the widely circulated passenger complaints and videos, no formal response had been issued at the time of filing this report.
