The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) offloaded a passenger at Islamabad International Airport after suspecting he intended to use an Umrah visa as a cover to travel illegally to Europe, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Thursday.
According to the FIA, the passenger was stopped by immigration officials during secondary profiling before boarding Saudi Arabian Airlines flight SV727 to Saudi Arabia.
Officials said the passenger, a resident of Mansehra district, was travelling on an Umrah visa.
During a detailed examination of his travel documents and mobile phone, immigration authorities allegedly found that he had been in regular contact with an agent through WhatsApp.
Initial investigations indicated that the passenger planned to travel onward to Europe through illegal routes after arriving in Saudi Arabia, the FIA said.
The agency alleged that the agent was linked to a human trafficking network and was making arrangements for the passenger's irregular migration.
The passenger's mobile phone was taken into custody for forensic analysis as part of the investigation.
The FIA said further inquiries were underway to identify the suspected agent and trace others involved in the alleged human trafficking network.
Authorities have repeatedly warned travellers against using Umrah, Hajj or visit visas as a means to attempt illegal migration, saying such schemes often expose individuals to exploitation by human trafficking networks.