Federal Interior and Narcotics Control Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday firmly denied reports suggesting that passengers with complete travel documents were being offloaded or stopped at airports. He emphasised that no traveller with valid, verified documents is being prevented from leaving the country, nor will such actions be taken in the future.
The minister issued these directives during a visit to Lahore Airport, where he reviewed immigration procedures and examined the performance of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The Interior Ministry stated that the visit aimed to dispel misinformation circulating on social media regarding alleged offloading of passengers without cause.
Addressing the matter, Naqvi said:
“No passenger with complete travel documents is being stopped from travelling, nor will they be stopped.”
He made it clear, however, that passengers carrying fake, incomplete, or dubious documents would not be allowed to travel under any circumstances. He highlighted the importance of protecting Pakistan’s reputation at the international level, saying:
“Pakistan’s honour is the honour of all of us. No passenger who causes dishonour to the homeland can be allowed to travel.”
FIA Denies Misinformation
The minister’s remarks follow claims circulating on social media alleging widespread offloading of passengers at airports. The FIA, in a statement on November 27, rejected these claims as fabricated and misleading, asserting that they were intended to create unnecessary public concern.
The agency reiterated that it does not offload passengers whose travel documents are complete and whose purpose of travel is legitimate. It urged citizens to avoid illegal travel agents and ensure their documents are fully verified before travel.
Review of Immigration System
During the visit, Naqvi inspected the system that links travellers’ immigration history with their national identity cards and passports. He praised FIA Director Ali Zia and his team for implementing an efficient and high-speed verification system at immigration counters.
He also spoke to passengers arriving and departing through the airport to personally assess their experience. Many travellers expressed satisfaction, with some saying their entire immigration process was completed within two minutes. They credited the improvements to the minister’s frequent inspections and monitoring.
