Pakistan imposes travel restrictions on first-time flyers amid concerns over visa abuse, illegal immigration

Pakistan's FIA has imposed travel restrictions on first-time travelers from specific regions due to concerns over visa abuse and illegal immigration.

Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has imposed restrictions on first-time travelers, particularly those around 35 years old from the areas of Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Jhelum, regarding travel to specific countries, including Saudi Arabia, even for Umrah, according to a report from Dawn.

The agency is implementing strict profiling measures for passengers heading to 15 countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Kenya.

According to a report submitted to the Lahore High Court (LHC) regarding a petition from a pilgrim denied travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, the FIA stated that travelers must possess a clear travel purpose, confirmed hotel bookings, and adequate financial resources. The FIA also mentioned that those traveling for Umrah should have sufficient religious understanding, as reported by Dawn.

Notably, this comes following recent incidents of boat tragedies in Libya, South Greece, and Morocco/Mauritania involving many passengers who traveled from Pakistan under the guise of Umrah visit visas, according to the FIA report. It was further stated that many of the individuals involved were aged between 15 and 40 years, originating from Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Bhimber, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, and Sheikhpura.

Immigration officials at airports are thoroughly verifying passenger documents and conducting interviews to ascertain their travel intentions and financial preparations.

A recent review of the Immigration Border Management System (IBMS) database uncovered alarming trends in the movement of travelers on visit, tourist, and student visas from July to December 2024.

This analysis revealed a pattern of systematic abuse of these visa types, where individuals gain entry into transit countries as part of unauthorized journeys to Europe. The Risk Analysis Unit flagged these 15 countries as common routes for illegal immigration, as reported by Dawn.