The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has issued its first travel advisory in two decades as part of its efforts to combat human trafficking. The advisory, addressed to Deputy Directors of Immigration nationwide, calls for stricter monitoring of passengers from 15 countries, 9 Pakistani cities, and two airlines.
For the first time, the directive focuses on passengers aged 15 to 40 traveling abroad, with heightened scrutiny on individuals flying with FlyDubai and Ethiopian Airlines. Travelers heading to or from Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Senegal, Kenya, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt will face rigorous checks.
The advisory also highlights the profiling of passengers from Libya, Iran, Mauritania, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Kuwait, and Kyrgyzstan, which are identified as transit points for trafficking to Europe. This directive is based on an analysis of the IBMS database spanning July to December.
Close monitoring is required for passengers from Mandi Bahauddin, Gujarat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, and Bhimber. Authorities are instructed to carefully examine return tickets, hotel bookings, and visas, especially for tourists or visitors.
Suspicious individuals must be interviewed to verify their travel intentions and financial arrangements. Detailed records of irregularities should be maintained and reported immediately, ensuring a proactive approach to curbing trafficking.
