Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ordered a strict nationwide crackdown on visa agents exploiting citizens. He warned that agent networks gambling with people’s futures will face zero tolerance. He also visited Islamabad Airport to meet outbound passengers and listen to their concerns directly.
During the visit, Naqvi took serious notice of a complaint about low staffing at immigration. He ordered an immediate inquiry and directed officials to review CCTV footage. He stressed that no passenger with genuine and complete documents should be stopped from travelling. However, he said anyone attempting to travel on fake or unverifiable documents will face strict action because such attempts damage Pakistan’s reputation.
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Earlier this week, the Federal Investigation Agency rejected social media claims about arbitrary offloading of passengers. The agency called the posts fabricated and misleading. It clarified that passengers with complete documents and legitimate travel reasons are not offloaded. The FIA urged travellers to avoid illegal agents and to ensure that all documents are verified.
Meanwhile, the Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis also intervened in the issue. Chaudhry Salik Hussain directed the FIA to swiftly resolve complaints from overseas workers who were reportedly offloaded. He chaired a high-level meeting with the FIA director general, top officials, and representatives of overseas employment promoters.
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The minister said that overseas Pakistanis drive the national economy through remittances. He stated that no work visa holder should be stopped unlawfully at any airport. He instructed the FIA to ensure smooth departure for all legitimate travellers and to act only against those violating travel regulations.