ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday acknowledged complaints over passenger off-loading at airports and ordered safeguards for legitimate travelers, as he chaired a meeting on human smuggling a day after Greece rescued hundreds of migrants, including Pakistanis, at sea.

Earlier this week, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said in a briefing to a parliamentary committee that more than 66,000 passengers had been off-loaded from Pakistani airports this year over suspected irregular travel, while tens of thousands were deported from Gulf states and other countries amid a broader crackdown on illegal migration.

The meeting chaired by Sharif reviewed enforcement measures aimed at curbing human smuggling and illegal immigration, with officials highlighting a 47 percent decline in illegal migration to Europe from the country following intensified screening at departure points.

“In taking action against those traveling illegally or holding suspicious travel documents, special care must be taken to ensure that passengers with valid documents are not affected,” the prime minister said, according to a statement issued by his office.

Sharif also ordered improvements in coordination between the FIA, the Protectorate of Emigrants and other agencies to facilitate Pakistanis traveling abroad legally for employment, while calling for stricter action against corrupt officials.

The meeting was also briefed about a growing reliance on technology by the immigration authorities to address weaknesses in the existing system. Authorities said work was under way to expand the use of electronic gates at airports, allowing automated identity verification to reduce discretionary checks.

Officials also said Pakistan was developing a mobile application to access passenger data and integrating advance passenger information and passenger name record (API-PNR) systems, enabling authorities to flag potentially fraudulent travel documents before departure.

Artificial intelligence tools are being introduced to support risk assessment and targeted screening, the statement added.

Pakistan intensified action against illegal migration in 2023 after hundreds of people, including its own nationals, died while attempting to cross the Mediterranean in an overcrowded fishing vessel that sank off the Greek coast, prompting widespread outrage and scrutiny of smuggling networks.

The meeting followed a Greek coast guard statement on Friday saying it rescued about 540 migrants from a fishing boat south of the island of Gavdos, transferring them to temporary facilities on Crete. Greek authorities said the group included nationals of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt.

The latest rescue highlights how, despite tighter controls and airport screening at home, migrants continue to seek dangerous routes to Europe, largely driven by economic hardship and the promise of work in richer countries.