By our correspondent
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of reports that passengers were being offloaded while travelling abroad and ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the matter.
The panel is led by Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik and includes Federal Minister for Information Technology Shaza Fatima Khawaja and Minister of State for Overseas Pakistanis Muhammad Awn Chaudhry. Heads of the Pakistan Digital Authority and the National Information Technology Board also serve on the committee, alongside the Secretary of Overseas Pakistanis, the Secretary IT, and the Additional Secretary Interior.
Representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NADRA, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are part of the committee, which has been tasked with proposing a new mechanism for citizens travelling abroad and recommending harmonization of the protector stamp system at the international level. The panel is expected to submit its report to the prime minister within three weeks.
In recent months, multiple reports have emerged alleging that the FIA was offloading passengers at airports across Pakistan, despite travelers holding valid documents. Visa holders for Greece, Italy, Poland, and Baku were reportedly prevented from travelling, and hundreds of Pakistanis were repeatedly sent to the Protector of Emigrants’ offices, only to find their documents were not “protected” for travel.
According to testimonies, officials reportedly cited “orders from above” to deny protection to travelers going abroad for work as agricultural experts, drivers, or cleaners, while similar restrictions had previously applied to those travelling for Umrah or jobs in Dubai.
The FIA has dismissed these claims as rumors. FIA Lahore Zone Director Captain (retd) Ali Zia issued a video statement in late November, asserting that some individuals were using AI-generated content to create the impression that passengers were being offloaded without cause.
Despite these denials, testimonies suggest the issue may be more than mere speculation. Reports indicate that even travelers who had paid visa fees in dollars, pounds, or euros were being prevented from going to Europe, with no written orders issued—only verbal instructions being followed across Protector offices nationwide.
