ISLAMABAD:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has offloaded 39,786 passengers from airports across Pakistan over the past three years as part of the intensified probe launched after the 2023 Libya boat tragedy.
More than 12,600 travelers were stopped because of “low-profile” and suspicious itineraries, official documents reveal.
The documents, seen by The Express Pakinomist, show that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered stricter passenger screening at all airports after Libya’s 2023 migrant boat disaster.
Since then, the FIA has significantly tightened travel controls to curb illegal migration and people-trafficking.
According to the documents, the largest number of passengers – 20,408 – were relieved because they lacked the necessary travel documents. A further 12,673 travelers were prevented from boarding flights due to their “low-profile” financial background or suspicious travel plans.
FIA sources said many of those categorized as “low profile” appeared to be financially unable to travel internationally.
The category included daily wage workers or workers with no previous international travel history who traveled on Umrah visas or tourist visas to destinations such as Turkiye, Dubai or Thailand.
The documents also reveal that 3,450 passengers were relieved because their names appeared on stop lists or because Interpol had placed restrictions on their international travel.
A further 505 passengers were stopped due to irregular or incorrect travel routes.
