EU delegation visits Sialkot Airport
to evaluate Pakistan’s measures to curb irregular migration
A delegation from the European Union
visited Sialkot International Airport to
review immigration procedures and evaluate Pakistan’s measures to curb
irregular migration, the Federal
Investigation Agency (FIA) confirmed on Tuesday.
According to an FIA spokesperson,
the delegation was briefed on the overall performance, operational framework,
and recent achievements of FIA Immigration at Sialkot Airport, with particular
emphasis on progress made over the past five months.
The visiting team comprised the Frontex officer to Pakistan, a
representative of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, an official from
the Embassy of Hungary in Pakistan, and a member of the International Centre for Migration Policy
Development.
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During the briefing, FIA officials
outlined key initiatives aimed at preventing irregular migration, including the
use of risk indicators, strengthened passenger profiling systems, and the
effective deployment of the Second Line Border Control Office.
The delegation was also informed
about pre-departure facilitation mechanisms established at both zonal and
airport levels to enhance border management, improve operational efficiency,
and maintain a passenger-friendly environment.
Last week, Interior Minister Mohsin
Naqvi announced that the FIA had set up pre-departure facilitation desks at all
zonal offices nationwide to support international travellers.
The visit comes amid increased
scrutiny of outbound passengers following an intensified crackdown on human
smuggling in the wake of a 2024 boat tragedy off the coast of Greece that
claimed the lives of several Pakistanis. FIA data shows that approximately
66,154 passengers were offloaded last year despite possessing valid travel
documents, with the majority of cases recorded at Lahore and Karachi airports.
In recent months, several passengers
at Sialkot Airport have been offloaded over suspected links to human smuggling
networks. In December, four passengers from Sialkot and Gujranwala were
prevented from travelling to Indonesia and Turkiye, while two others were
stopped for allegedly attempting to reach Europe under the pretext of
performing Umrah.
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An analysis of Immigration Border
Management System data for July to December 2024 indicated a trend of
travellers using at least 15 transit countries, with a significant number
originating from nine districts of Punjab, including Sialkot.
The FIA spokesperson said the EU
delegation commended the professionalism and dedication of immigration staff at
Sialkot International Airport in maintaining strong and secure border control
operations.
Source:
Pakistan Today