Disabled person among “football players”: DG FIA explains why passengers are being offloaded

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Rights on Tuesday discussed the issue of offloading passengers and illegal migration during a meeting chaired by Committee Chairman Agha Rafiullah.

Briefing the committee, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General informed members that 51,000 passengers were offloaded this year on suspicion of illegal travel. He said 24,000 Pakistanis were deported by Saudi Arabia for begging, while Dubai deported 6,000 Pakistanis and Azerbaijan sent back 2,500 Pakistani beggars.

The DG FIA told the committee that many individuals attempt to travel onward to Europe by first going to Saudi Arabia under the pretext of Umrah. “Such passengers were offloaded after evidence was found that they intended to travel illegally to Europe,” he said, adding that some travelers carried documents proving plans for onward travel.

Sharing country-wise data, the DG FIA said 24,000 Pakistanis traveled to Cambodia this year, of whom 12,000 have not returned, while 4,000 people went to Myanmar (Burma) on tourist visas, with 2,500 failing to return.

He said Pakistan’s passport ranking has improved from 118 to 92 due to strict offloading policies. “In previous years, Pakistan was among the top five countries for illegal migrants, but due to our policies, Pakistan has now exited the top five,” he added. According to the DG FIA, 8,000 Pakistanis illegally went to Europe last year, while the number is expected to reduce to 4,000 this year.

The committee was also informed that a total of 56,000 Pakistanis were deported by Saudi Arabia for begging, while Dubai and Germany have granted visa-free entry on official Pakistani passports.

The DG FIA announced that the ‘Immi’ application will be launched in mid-January, allowing passengers to receive immigration clearance 24 hours prior to departure. He also noted that the FIA counter at Islamabad Airport is overstaffed, while the Islamabad Police are hiring 30 female officers.

Highlighting unusual cases, the DG FIA disclosed that a fake football club sent a team to Japan, including a physically disabled person. Investigations revealed that the same fake club had sent a team to Japan in 2022 as well.

During the briefing, the DG FIA said 8.5 million Pakistanis traveled abroad this year, 226 cases were registered, and 450 people were arrested while illegally crossing the Iranian border during the last three months. He added that Bangladeshi nationals were also found using Pakistani tourist visas to illegally reach Europe. Data further showed that 287 people were deported last year on fake documents, compared to 170 deportations this year.

Separately, the Secretary for Overseas Pakistanis briefed the committee that the government has decided to establish 10 Community Welfare Attaché posts in Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, China, Australia, Norway, Canada and the United Kingdom. These posts will focus on the welfare of Pakistani workers and increasing overseas employment opportunities.

The secretary said Saudi Arabia has mega projects worth over $1 trillion under Vision 2030, including Neom City, Jeddah Central, Red Sea Global, King Salman Energy Park, Jeddah Tower, Riyadh Expo 2030 and the FIFA World Cup 2034. Employment opportunities are also available at King Abdulaziz International Airport and the Red Sea Hub expansion project.

He said that only skilled workers will be eligible for jobs in Saudi Arabia, adding that Pakistan produces 4.25 million skilled workers annually. He noted that although the number of university graduates is high, international demand remains stronger for skilled labor. This year, 7.25 million Pakistanis went abroad.

The Community Welfare Attaché in Riyadh informed the committee that 2.8 million Pakistanis are currently working in Saudi Arabia, while 5,000 illegal Pakistani residents and 845 prisoners who had completed their sentences were repatriated to Pakistan.