The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has instructed deputy directors of immigration nationwide to enforce stricter screening processes for passengers boarding flights, aiming to curb the increasing issue of human trafficking.
The directives focus on first-time foreign travelers aged 15 to 40, particularly those traveling from nine cities. Passengers using Fly Dubai and Ethiopian Airlines are to be closely monitored, the FIA advisory stated.
An enhanced system of passenger profiling for destinations such as Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan has been mandated.
The FIA revealed that Pakistanis use 15 countries as transit points for smuggling to Europe.
Special attention will be paid to residents of Gujrat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, Bhimber, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, and Sheikhupura.
Officials have been directed to thoroughly scrutinize all documents, including return tickets and hotel bookings, of passengers.
Moreover, rigorous interviews will be conducted for suspicious travelers to verify their financial arrangements and travel purposes.
FIA officers are required to maintain detailed records of all such cases and immediately report any suspicious activities.
Sources indicated that the lack of a clear advisory policy at airports over the last two decades has previously led to hesitancy in preventing passengers from boarding flights.
