Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has defended its use of AI tools to identify high-risk passengers at airports, as well as selective checks of mobile phones linked to suspected human-smuggling cases.
The explanation follows criticism from travelers over tougher immigration screening and reports of passengers being asked to provide access to their phones.
FIA Additional Director-General for Immigration Nouman Siddiqui said the agency does not subject every passenger to the same level of scrutiny. Instead, AI-assisted profiling and its Risk Analysis Unit are used to identify travel patterns that may indicate a higher risk of illegal migration or human smuggling.
According to Siddiqui, the FIA looks at factors including a passenger’s travel history, destination, visa type and personal background.
For example, a first-time traveler heading to a country such as Senegal or Malawi on a visit visa, without employment or family connections there, could receive additional scrutiny if their background does not appear consistent with the stated purpose of the trip.
The FIA says its Risk Analysis Unit also reviews changing human-smuggling trends every three months.
The agency’s 2025 annual report confirms that it has introduced AI-based passenger profiling and risk-assessment tools as part of a broader shift toward intelligence-led border screening.
The agency pointed to travel data to explain why it believes tougher screening is necessary.
Between January 2025 and April 2026, around 15,800 Pakistanis traveled to Cyprus on visit visas, but only 3,553 had returned by the end of that period.
More than 57,000 traveled to Azerbaijan, with over 3,000 remaining there after their visit visas expired.
Around 4,000 traveled to Malawi, and more than 3,000 had not returned after their visas expired. More than 13,000 Pakistanis traveled to Uzbekistan, with over 2,200 remaining abroad beyond their visa periods.
Siddiqui said human smuggling was damaging Pakistan’s reputation and also creating problems for genuine travelers.
The FIA says checking passengers’ phones is limited to selected cases rather than being a standard part of immigration clearance.
Siddiqui said only a small number of phones are sent for forensic examination when passengers are identified as high-risk and linked to suspected human smugglers.
“Not everyone’s phone is checked,” he said, adding that the practice applies to people who come under suspicion or profiling.
Passengers who believe they have been wrongly stopped from traveling can use complaint systems at airports, contact senior FIA officials or challenge the decision through the courts, according to Siddiqui.
Immigration lawyer Umar Gilani argues that the FIA’s powers at airport counters have legal limits.
He said immigration officers can examine passports, visas and other travel documents, request additional documentation and refuse immigration when they have reasonable doubts about a passenger’s travel plans, provided they record their reasons.
However, Gilani argued that simply being flagged by passenger profiling does not give immigration officials the authority to force someone to unlock or hand over a smartphone.
He said accessing a passenger’s phone amounts to search and seizure, which would require authorities to first open a formal inquiry into suspected human trafficking or another criminal offence.
According to Gilani, forcing access to a personal device at an immigration counter could violate the privacy protections provided by Article 14 of Pakistan’s Constitution.
Gilani also argued that Pakistan needs an independent immigration tribunal or another specialised judicial body to review decisions made by immigration officials.
At present, passengers can seek internal FIA review or approach the courts, but there is no dedicated tribunal specifically overseeing immigration decisions.
He said such an independent body could provide greater oversight while protecting passengers’ fundamental rights.
The dispute highlights the balance authorities face between stopping organised human smuggling and ensuring that stronger airport screening does not exceed the legal powers available to immigration officials.
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