Islamabad, July 29, 2026: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has handed over advanced border management equipment and transport vehicles to Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) under a four-year project funded by the Government of Japan aimed at enhancing the country’s migration governance and border management capabilities.
The handover ceremony was held at the FIA Headquarters in Islamabad and was attended by Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Akamatsu Shuichi, IOM Pakistan Chief of Mission Mio Sato, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar, and representatives from the Embassy of Japan, IOM and FIA.
The initiative is part of IOM’s broader support to the Government of Pakistan for promoting safe, orderly and regular migration while strengthening protection-sensitive measures against human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
Under the project, IOM provided biometric, information technology, security, surveillance, communication and solar equipment to 21 FIA operational points across Pakistan. The support also includes equipment for FIA’s National Command and Control Centre (NC3) at its headquarters, established to enhance coordinated and intelligence-based responses to transnational crimes, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling and cybercrime.
IOM also handed over three dedicated transport vans to FIA for deployment at the international airports in Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore to support the safe and dignified handling of returning migrants.
The project further contributed to institutional strengthening through the refurbishment of the FIA Training Academy, completed in March 2026. The upgraded facility includes improved IT infrastructure, enhanced security systems and modern training facilities to support the professional development of FIA officers.
As part of the capacity-building component, more than 150 FIA officials received training on rights-based and gender-sensitive border management, investigation techniques, and document and biometric verification. The initiative also developed a pool of FIA master trainers, including women officers, to continue capacity-building within the institution.
Additional training programmes on victim identification, screening and referral mechanisms reached more than 200 participants, including FIA officials, provincial police personnel and civil society representatives, with women comprising more than half of the participants.
Speaking at the ceremony, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar said the partnership highlighted the importance of international cooperation in addressing complex migration and border management challenges. He added that support for the National Command and Control Centre would enhance operational monitoring and coordinated responses to transnational crimes.
Ambassador Akamatsu Shuichi said effective border management requires balancing security with the protection of human rights.
“Strong, capable and humane border management institutions protect the integrity of the state while safeguarding the dignity of individuals,” he said, reaffirming Japan’s continued support for Pakistan in this field.
IOM Pakistan Chief of Mission Mio Sato said modern border management extends beyond the movement of people and is closely linked with national security, economic connectivity, regional cooperation and human dignity. She appreciated the support of the Government of Japan and FIA’s cooperation in successfully implementing the project.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Akamatsu also visited FIA’s National Command and Control Centre, where he was briefed on its role in operational monitoring, intelligence coordination and responses to transnational crime. He formally handed over one of the transport vehicles to FIA for deployment at international airports.
IOM and FIA expressed appreciation to the Government of Japan for its continued support to migration governance in Pakistan and acknowledged FIA’s role as a key institutional partner in strengthening protection-sensitive and rights-based border management systems.
