A staggering 66,154 passengers have been prevented from travelling from Pakistan’s airports this year, nearly double the figure from 2024, prompting a parliamentary committee on Wednesday to demand the immediate creation of a transparent redressal system for those wrongly affected.
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, chaired by Syed Rafiullah, instructed the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to urgently formulate and publish a standard operating procedure (SOP) to govern off-loadings.
During a briefing at Parliament House, the Director General FIA revealed the dramatic increase from approximately 35,000 off-loadings last year. He attributed the spike to an intensified crackdown on human trafficking, illegal migration, and organized begging networks that are severely tarnishing Pakistan’s international reputation.
The committee was informed that around 51,000 individuals were denied boarding due to questionable or non-verifiable travel documents, particularly for work, tourist, and Umrah visas. The FIA chief highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting the recent deportation of 56,000 beggars from Saudi Arabia and visa restrictions imposed by the UAE.
FIA officials also pointed to emerging illicit migration routes through countries like Cambodia and Thailand and defended the stringent enforcement as vital to dismantling trafficking rings and protecting Pakistan’s global standing.
While acknowledging the necessity of the crackdown, committee members expressed serious concern that genuine travellers could be unfairly impacted. They mandated that a clear, speedy, and accessible complaints mechanism be established at all airports. The panel also ordered that information on how to challenge an off-loading decision be prominently displayed at immigration counters.
To enhance pre-departure screening, the meeting was apprised of a new risk-analysis unit and the development of an “IMMI” mobile application. Members stressed the need for immediate interoperability between FIA systems and the Protectorate of Emigrants platform to ensure verification checks are completed before passengers even arrive at the airport.
Separately, the committee reviewed the performance of the Community Welfare Attaché (CWA) network. The ministry reported that CWAs in the Gulf region managed over 55,000 welfare cases in 2025, including more than 30,000 assisted repatriations and over 3,400 death-related cases.
Despite these achievements, the panel noted persistent challenges faced by overseas workers, including employer confiscation of passports, difficulties in recovering dues, and language barriers. The committee called for stronger bilateral engagement and the establishment of dedicated legal-aid panels at foreign missions to better protect Pakistani citizens abroad.
Concluding the session, Chairman Syed Rafiullah underscored that “enforcement without an accessible remedy could harm both citizens and the country’s reputation,” reiterating the panel’s non-negotiable demand for a swift implementation of the SOP and public complaints system.