51,000 people offloaded at Pakistani airports in 2025, FIA DG tells NA committee

Pakistani beggars operating overseas have emerged as a growing concern, prompting a detailed discussion in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Overseas Pakistanis, where the director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) briefed lawmakers on the scale of the issue and steps being taken to address it.

During the meeting, the FIA DG revealed that around 51,000 passengers were offloaded this year alone after failing immigration checks. Most belonged to the visit, Umrah and work visa categories. In addition, thousands of Pakistanis were deported from different countries for begging and traveling abroad on fake or forged documents.

Saudi Arabia deported the highest number of Pakistani beggars, with 24,000 individuals sent back this year. The United Arab Emirates deported 6,000 Pakistanis, while Azerbaijan deported 2,500, the committee was told.

The FIA DG said the problem of begging abroad and misuse of travel documents had become serious, damaging Pakistan’s image internationally. Lawmakers were informed that several people attempting to reach Europe under the guise of performing Umrah were offloaded after evidence of fraudulent intent was uncovered.

The briefing also highlighted migration trends to Southeast Asia. According to FIA data, 24,000 Pakistanis traveled to Cambodia this year, of whom 12,000 have not yet returned. Similarly, 4,000 people went to Burma on tourist visas, but 2,500 remain abroad.

Despite the challenges, the FIA DG said enforcement measures had produced results. He noted that by stopping individuals traveling through forged documents, Pakistan’s passport ranking improved from 118 to 92. The committee was informed that illegal migration to Europe had declined significantly, with the number dropping from 8,000 last year to 4,000 this year.

The FIA DG also told the committee that Dubai and Germany had introduced visa-free facilities for Pakistani passport holders, reflecting growing international confidence in Pakistan’s travel controls.

Looking ahead, the committee was informed that the “Ame” application would be launched in mid-January. Under the new system, travelers will be required to complete immigration procedures digitally 24 hours before departure, a step aimed at further curbing illegal travel and document misuse.

Lawmakers stressed the need for sustained action to curb begging abroad, protect the country’s reputation, and ensure that overseas travel by Pakistanis remains lawful and dignified.