LHC declares FIA offloading of valid travellers unlawful

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that offloading passengers holding valid visas, tickets and travel documents is unlawful.

According to a detailed nine-page judgment issued by LHC Judge Justice Rahil Kamran, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s decision to stop a citizen from travelling to Nigeria was illegal.

During proceedings, the court noted that the petitioner was offloaded after issuance of a boarding pass on the suspicion that he might not return from Dubai, despite not being involved in any case, inquiry, blacklist or the Exit Control List (ECL).

The judgment stated that the petitioner suffered financial loss, mental anguish and reputational damage due to the offloading.

It observed that the right to travel abroad is a fundamental right under the Constitution, adding that while FIA has authority, it is not unlimited.

The court also issued guidelines for passenger offloading, directing officials to record detailed, meaningful reasons and maintain a proper record of questions asked and responses given to travellers.