NA seeks probe into offloading of passengers at airports

Pakistan’s National Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution calling on the government to investigate the offloading of passengers with valid travel documents at airports across the country.

The resolution was moved by Pakistan Peoples Party lawmaker Agha Rafiullah, who pointed to a growing number of incidents in which travellers were denied boarding despite holding valid tickets and identification.

It urges the government to carry out a thorough inquiry into such cases and introduce administrative reforms to ensure transparency, accountability and the protection of passenger rights. The resolution also stresses the need for better communication so that decisions to deny travel are lawful, properly documented and clearly conveyed to passengers.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq put the resolution to a vote, and it was adopted without opposition.

The resolution further calls for giving legal effect to decisions that restrict passengers’ travel, underlining the need for clear rules and standard procedures at airports.

Read: PM calls for tighter immigration controls, protection for legal travellers

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already taken notice of reports of passengers being offloaded while travelling abroad and ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the issue.

Officials said the committee will include representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). It has been tasked with proposing a new mechanism for overseas travel and recommending ways to harmonise the protector stamp system at the international level.

Over the past few months, multiple reports have accused the FIA of offloading passengers at various airports despite them having valid travel documents. According to these reports, visa holders for Greece, Italy, Poland and Baku have been prevented from travelling.

Hundreds of Pakistanis with complete visas and documents have also complained that they are being forced to repeatedly visit offices of the Protector of Emigrants, yet their papers are not being “protected” for travel.

Read more: Government panel to investigate offloading of travellers

Some travellers say they were told that “orders from above” bar the protection of documents for those going abroad for jobs such as agricultural workers, drivers or cleaners. In earlier cases, passengers travelling for Umrah or jobs in Dubai were also blocked on suspicion.

The FIA has dismissed the allegations as rumours. In late November, FIA Lahore Zone Director Captain (retd) Ali Zia issued a detailed clarification in a video message, saying certain elements were using AI-generated videos and images to create the impression that passengers were being offloaded without reason.

However, passenger testimonies suggest the issue may be more widespread. Some travellers say even those who paid visa fees in dollars, pounds or euros are now being stopped from travelling to Europe, with no written orders provided and only verbal instructions being cited by officials across protector offices nationwide.