Travelers claim humiliating treatment, authorities’ refusal to provide explanations
RAWALPINDI:
Allegations of inexperience, negligence and administrative indifference within the immigration department of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) at the New Islamabad International Airport have emerged following two separate incidents in which Pakistani passengers were allegedly offloaded from international flights despite having valid travel documents and visas.
According to complaints raised by the affected passengers, not only junior immigration staff but also senior administrative officials have allegedly failed to address the matter properly. The incidents involved two Pakistani nationals traveling separately to South Africa and Türkiye, both of whom claim they were prevented from boarding despite having full legal documentation.
Passengers accused FIA immigration officials of humiliating behavior and of refusing to provide satisfactory explanations for the unloading decisions.
Efforts were made to get a response from the Deputy Director Immigration at New Islamabad International Airport, Hina Munawar, as well as the FIA spokesperson, but no official statement was issued despite repeated requests for comment.
A passenger, identified as Shehzad Gondal, recorded a video at the airport which later circulated widely on social media. In the footage, he states that he was in possession of a valid South African visa for travel from Islamabad to Cape Town, along with confirmed hotel bookings, a return ticket allegedly worth Rs 550,000. and approximately US$1,500 for travel expenses.
Gondal claimed he had traveled extensively over the past 20 years and had multiple visas and travel records on his passport. However, he claimed that FIA immigration officials relieved him without giving a clear rationale, repeatedly saying that South Africa had imposed restrictions preventing Pakistani nationals from traveling on newly issued visas.
The passenger questioned the reasoning behind the decision, stating that if South Africa had granted him a visa after collecting the required fee in dollars, then any decision on deportation should lie with the South African authorities rather than Pakistani immigration officials.
He further complained that despite long waits and repeated requests, he was denied a meeting with the Deputy Director who allegedly refused to see him from inside her office. Gondal appealed to the Home Minister and Director General of FIA to take notice of the incident and ensure justice.
In another recent case, a businessman identified as Abrar, allegedly involved in metal trading, claimed that he was also offloaded from a flight at Lahore airport. According to the passenger, immigration staff protested after noticing a TikTok video from a travel agency appearing on his mobile phone screen.
Abrar claimed that he repeatedly offered to allow officials to inspect his phone and check whether he had any contact or communication with agents involved in illegal immigration, but claimed that his explanation was not taken into account.
He stated that after traveling to Islamabad and having his travel documents verified by an FIA office, he again attempted to travel internationally from Islamabad airport but was once again denied permission to travel.
He further alleged that an FIA immigration officer tore up his boarding pass, despite his repeated requests to return it, so that he could at least seek a refund for his air ticket.
Despite repeated attempts to contact FIA immigration authorities regarding the complaints and the widely circulated passenger videos, no formal response had been issued at the time of filing this report.
