According to a senior immigration official, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded 39,786 passengers in 2025 as part of a structured, intelligence-driven system aimed at preventing irregular migration and human smuggling.

Immigration Additional Director General Nouman Siddiqui stated that these actions were not arbitrary but based on risk profiling, document verification, suspicious travel patterns, destination country requirements, and established standard operating procedures.

The primary objective of the policy, he said, is to protect human lives, reduce exploitation by traffickers, and safeguard Pakistan’s international reputation.The report also highlights that migration-related tragedies have intensified the need for strict enforcement.Over the past three years, around 460 Pakistanis have been affected by irregular migration incidents, with at least 377 reported deaths.

In 2025 alone, 109 Pakistani nationals reportedly died while attempting to migrate through unsafe routes, according to International Organization for Migration (IOM) data.The issue gained urgency following the June 2023 Greece boat tragedy involving Pakistani migrants.To combat smuggling networks, FIA has registered 2,421 cases since December 2024 and arrested 3,130 suspects involved in trafficking operations.Authorities also seized assets worth Rs961.71 million, recovered Rs87.7 million, and froze bank accounts amounting to Rs239.63 million.Officials explained that passengers were often linked to fake job schemes, forged documents, or suspicious travel routes.

The FIA has developed multiple risk profiles and established facilitation desks, along with a 24/7 helpline, to support genuine travellers and reduce inconvenience.A distinction is also made between passengers offloaded by FIA and those affected due to airline or administrative issues.Officials emphasised that ongoing reforms aim to balance facilitation of legal travellers while preventing human smuggling and protecting lives.