FIA defends offloading female traveller

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration has issued a clarification regarding allegations levelled by a woman passenger at the FIA staff at Islamabad International Airport after a video of the incident went viral on social media and the matter was reported in the media.

Assistant Director Immigration Islamabad Airport Muhammad Nauman, in a statement, said the FIA Immigration Islamabad Airport offloaded a passenger, Rabia Firdous, on Aug 9, 2026, while she was travelling to the UAE on Airblue flight ED230.

He said the woman was travelling on a paper visa, which was sent to the airline for "OK to Board" verification. During the investigation, it was revealed that the passenger was attempting to travel to the UAE on a family visa issued to another family.

According to the initial investigation, the passenger intended to stay illegally in Dubai. However, given the UAE's strict visa scrutiny for Pakistani passengers under the prevailing circumstances, she would also have faced deportation, the official said.

Mr Nauman further said that when her immigration clearance was stopped, the passenger misbehaved with the duty staff, recorded a video on social media, threatened FIA personnel and obstructed them in the performance of their official duties.

He said the woman passenger, while concealing the alleged forgery carried out in connivance with an agent, began levelling baseless allegations against the FIA.