FIA says over the past 3 years, at least 377 reported deaths have occurred due to illegal migration routes
LAHORE:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded 39,786 passengers during 2025 under a lawful, intelligence-driven and risk-based screening system aimed at curbing irregular migration, dismantling human smuggling networks and protecting Pakistani citizens from exploitation abroad.
Defending the practice, Immigration Additional Director General Nouman Siddiqui said passenger offloading was primarily a preventive measure designed to save lives, prevent human trafficking and safeguard Pakistan’s international reputation.
He stressed that immigration decisions were based on established procedures, travel patterns, document verification and destination-country requirements rather than arbitrary discretion.
Speaking to a select group of senior journalists on Sunday, Siddiqui said the primary objective of the policy was the protection of human life and the prevention of exploitation at the hands of human traffickers.
“Offloading decisions are not arbitrary,” he asserted, explaining that immigration officials rely on intelligence inputs, suspicious travel indicators, document scrutiny and standard operating procedures before preventing a passenger from boarding a flight.
The FIA chief said the crackdown gained urgency after a series of tragedies linked to illegal migration routes. Over the past three years, around 460 Pakistanis have fallen victim to such incidents, including at least 377 reported deaths.
Citing data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), he said 109 Pakistanis lost their lives in 2025 alone while attempting irregular migration.
The issue came sharply into focus following the June 2023 Greece boat disaster, in which a large number of Pakistani migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea. A high-level inquiry committee subsequently recommended stricter enforcement measures, many of which are now being implemented.
To target organised trafficking networks, the FIA has registered 2,421 cases since December 2024 and arrested 3,130 suspected agents. Authorities have seized assets worth Rs961.71 million, recovered Rs87.7 million and frozen bank accounts containing Rs239.63 million.
“These figures reflect the scale and seriousness of human smuggling and trafficking in Pakistan,” Siddiqui said.
He noted that many intercepted passengers were found travelling through suspicious routes, fake overseas employment schemes, forged documents, fraudulent sponsorship arrangements or high-risk transit patterns associated with organised smuggling and trafficking networks.
To strengthen screening, the FIA’s Risk Analysis Unit developed five risk profiles to help immigration officials distinguish genuine travellers from potentially high-risk passengers. The profiles are periodically reviewed and updated.
