ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched facilitation desks to guide international travelers on immigration procedures, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Sunday amid criticism over Islamabad’s move to offload passengers at various airports.
Pakistani authorities in December said 66,154 passengers were offloaded from Pakistani airports in 2025 compared to last year’s figure of 35,000. The disclosure was made after several passengers complained they were offloaded at various Pakistani airports despite possessing valid travel documents.
Pakistan’s FIA said the majority of the passengers were offloaded after they were questioned about the veracity of their travel documents, which primarily included work, tourist and Umrah visas. The government says its move is part of measures to curb international illegal migration.
“Pleased to share that the Federal Investigation Agency has launched Pre-Departure Facilitation Desks across all zonal offices, with immediate effect,” Naqvi wrote on social media platform X.
“These desks will provide guidance & assistance to international travelers on immigration procedures/clearances, ensuring a smoother & more hassle-free travel experience,” he added.
The minister said these desks can be accessed by international travelers in person, through helplines and via email.
“Details available at airports, border points & on the FIA website,” he concluded.
Pakistan intensified action against illegal migration in 2023 after hundreds of people, including its own nationals, lost their lives while trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach European shores in an overcrowded vessel that sank off the Greek coast.
In September, the FIA released a list of more than 100 of the country’s “most wanted” human smugglers as part of its ongoing nationwide operation, identifying major hubs of trafficking activity across Punjab and Islamabad.
Pakistan’s interior ministry announced in December that it was rolling out an AI-based immigration screening system in Islamabad from January to detect forged travel documents and prevent illegal departures.
Authorities said Pakistan reported a 47 percent drop in illegal immigration to Europe last year, with more than 1,700 human smugglers arrested.
