Pakistani minister takes notice of passengers being offloaded at airports
Federal
Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain has taken serious
notice of reports that Pakistani workers holding valid travel documents were
being offloaded at airports, directing authorities to resolve the issue without
delay.
Chairing a high-level meeting in
Islamabad, the minister was briefed by officials on multiple incidents of
workers being stopped from boarding flights despite possessing valid work visas
and protector certificates.
The session was attended by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director
General Riffat Mukhtar, who was instructed by the minister to take swift and
decisive action to prevent such occurrences in the future.
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Chaudhry Salik assured that no
worker with a valid visa would be unlawfully stopped at any airport going
forward. He stressed that overseas Pakistanis are a source of national pride
and play a vital role in strengthening the economy through remittances.
He further announced that the
Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, in coordination with the FIA, is drafting Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure transparency and protect workers from
undue harassment.
DG FIA Riffat Mukhtar confirmed that
incidents had been reported at Lahore and Karachi airports, adding that an internal
inquiry is underway. He emphasized that any FIA personnel found responsible
would face strict disciplinary action.
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He also clarified that no new travel conditions or affidavit requirements have been introduced for overseas workers. To streamline the process, the FIA plans to launch a digital immigration system soon, allowing departing workers to complete pre-departure formalities online.
A delegation from the Pakistan Overseas Employment Promoters Association
also attended the meeting and welcomed the minister’s prompt intervention to
safeguard the rights and dignity of Pakistani workers abroad.
Source: Islamabad Post