Islamabad, November 29,2025: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday directed authorities at Islamabad International Airport to ensure that no traveller carrying “genuine and complete documents” is barred from leaving the country, amid rising complaints of passengers being offloaded despite valid travel papers.
The minister made the remarks during a surprise visit to the airport, where he interacted with outbound passengers to hear their concerns firsthand.
In a post on X, Naqvi said he had ordered a strict crackdown on visa agents exploiting citizens through fraudulent schemes. He also took “serious notice” of a complaint submitted by a passenger on November 7 regarding low staffing at immigration counters, directing an immediate inquiry along with a review of CCTV footage.
“No passenger with genuine and complete documents should ever be stopped from travelling,” the minister said. “However, those attempting to travel on fake or unverified documents will not be allowed under any circumstances, as such actions damage Pakistan’s reputation.”
Naqvi added that “agent mafias playing with people’s futures for money will face zero tolerance.”
Over the past few months, multiple reports have surfaced of travellers being offloaded at airports across the country, especially after the government intensified a nationwide crackdown on migrant smuggling following last year’s Greece boat tragedy, which claimed the lives of numerous Pakistanis.
On Thursday, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) reiterated that passengers were being offloaded only if they lacked valid documentation or if there was suspicion of involvement in human-smuggling networks. The FIA also initiated legal proceedings against individuals spreading fabricated information online about offloading incidents.
Earlier this month, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar confirmed that cases of unjustified offloading had been reported at Lahore and Karachi airports, adding that inquiries were ongoing to determine responsibility.
