Pakistan blacklists over 50,000 passports to curb illegal migration

The Passport and Immigration Department has blacklisted more than 50,000 passports based on the recommendations of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to curb the trend of the illegal migration to the European countries, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Thursday.

Additionally, the passports of hundreds of Pakistanis have been canceled as part of the crackdown.

The move came in the aftermath of the loss of Pakistani lives in boat accidents and aimed at preventing illegal migration as the Ministry of Interior has taken strict action on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Government sources revealed that all individuals deported since 2017 have had their passports blacklisted to discourage people from reaching Europe through illegal and hazardous means.

The decision follows a task force meeting in which the Prime Minister questioned the FIA about actions taken against deported individuals, and the DG FIA failed to provide a satisfactory response.

Following the Prime Minister’s directive, the FIA provided lists of deported individuals to the Ministry of Interior, leading to passport blacklisting.

However, sources confirmed that those with valid visas and legal documentation could request a review of their blacklisted status.

The Ministry of Law has also been consulted to assess cases where court rulings may affect blacklisting decisions.

This initiative marks a major crackdown on human trafficking networks and aims to prevent further loss of lives due to illegal migration attempts.