Interior Minister Issues New Directive on Passenger Offloading at Airports

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday directed authorities at Islamabad International Airport to ensure that no passenger carrying “genuine and complete documents” is stopped from travelling.

The statement comes amid growing complaints over the past few months about passengers being offloaded from flights despite holding valid visas and travel papers, a trend linked to the government’s crackdown on migrant smuggling after last year’s Greece boat tragedy.

In a post on X, Naqvi said he visited the airport to meet outbound passengers and hear their concerns firsthand. He ordered a strict crackdown on visa agents exploiting travellers and expressed serious concern over a complaint from November 7 regarding low staffing at immigration counters.

He directed an immediate inquiry and review of CCTV footage.

Visited Islamabad Airport today and met passengers travelling abroad to hear their concerns directly.

Ordered a strict crackdown against visa agents exploiting innocent people. Took serious notice of a passenger’s 7 November complaint about low staffing at immigration and… pic.twitter.com/dP29uZw2bB

— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) November 29, 2025

Naqvi stressed that any passenger attempting to leave the country with fake or unverified documents would not be allowed to board under any circumstances, as such actions harm Pakistan’s reputation. “Agent mafias playing with people’s futures for money will face zero tolerance,” he added.

The statement follows Thursday’s clarification from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), which said passengers were only being offloaded if they lacked valid documentation or were suspected of links to migrant smuggling networks. The FIA also launched legal action against individuals spreading false information online about offloading incidents.

Earlier, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar acknowledged cases of offloading at Lahore and Karachi airports and confirmed that investigations were underway.