People trying to travel to New Zealand come from Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Peshawar
International visitor spending in the United States is expected to fall below $169 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. PHOTO: FREE IMAGE
Four passengers were offloaded at Islamabad International Airport on Thursday for allegedly attempting to travel on forged work visas, according to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
The individuals – Muhammad Imran, Mian Tauseef, Sultan Afzal and Abdul Rehman – were set to board flight CZ8070 to New Zealand. They are said to belong to Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
During routine immigration checks, the work visas presented by the passengers were found to be suspected forgeries. Their passports also had protector stamps from offices in Rawalpindi, Abbottabad and Peshawar, further raising suspicion, officials said.
The FIA’s anti-human smuggling cell took the passengers into custody for further investigation and launched a probe to trace the agent allegedly involved in the racket. Officials said verification of visas is underway.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has called for tighter immigration controls and protection for legal travelers. According to the FIA, 451 people involved in human trafficking and illegal migration have been arrested in recent months.
In recent months, several reports have emerged of passengers with complete documentation being relieved during immigration checks. Many travelers have complained of facing difficulties despite having valid visas and travel documents.
Read: FIA investigates unloading of workers at airports
The Prime Minister has asked the authorities to ensure that passengers with valid travel documents are not treated as illegal immigrants during screening procedures.
