FIA enforces strict passenger monitoring from 9 districts

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) implemented news measures to rigorously surveil travellers departing from nine specific districts.

The measures are part of a broader initiative to address human trafficking concerns, following several incidents where Pakistanis died while illegally crossing into Europe.

Read more: Inflation may climb up again after June this year

The advisory will target people from Mandi Bahauddin, Gujarat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Tokba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura and Bhimber.

The FIA’s announcement comes at the heels of a troubling trend, with an estimated 2,000 skilled Pakistanis leaving the country on almost daily basis. The agency called for the establishment of advanced profiling systems for passengers bound for 16 countries, with a particular focus on those age 15 to 40, and travelling internationally for the first time.

Increased monitoring is being directed at travellers heading to Libya, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan, as part of the initiative aimed at curbing illegal immigration and human trafficking activates.

Pakistan has been facing a crippling economic crisis since 2022, driven by several factors including escalating fuel prices linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, excessive external debt,  ineffective governance, and the repercussions of the 2022 countrywide floods.

The nation in experiencing a balance of payment crisis as it struggles to generate adequate foreign exchange to meet its import requirements.

As of January 1, 2025, the inflation rate in the country was recorded at 4.1 per cent, the lowest in almost seven years. However, the economic crisis still looms large, with persistent increases in food, gas and oil prices.

The issue of illegal immigration saw a rise with the rise in inflation. National attention to illegal human smuggling came following a tragic maritime incident off the coast of Morocco, where more than 40 Pakistani nationals perished attempting to reach Europe.

With the issue in media limelight, the government was forced into action. PM Shehbaz directed the FIA to compile a detailed report and then take ‘suitable’ action accordingly.

Read more: Morocco tragedy: not a capsize, Pakistanis tortured and murdered

The ongoing economic crisis also contributed to a huge brain drain in a country that desperately needs its skilled workforce.  Over 727,000 Pakistani legally migrated abroad in 2024 alone.