ISLAMABAD, Nov 24: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has intensified its nationwide crackdown on illegal migration networks amid growing concerns over forged travel documents and suspected internal collusion at major airports. The renewed campaign follows multiple interceptions in recent days, indicating a coordinated attempt by travellers—and possibly insiders—to exploit loopholes in the immigration system.

At New Islamabad International Airport, immigration officers on Sunday offloaded a passenger, Muhammad Usman, who attempted to travel to Europe using an Umrah visa. Usman was intercepted during clearance for flight PK-713. According to officials, preliminary investigations revealed that he had been deported from Italy earlier this year and had been in contact with several travel agents. A search of his mobile phone uncovered a tampered residency card bearing an altered expiry date.

Authorities noted that the case fits a recurring pattern in which individuals use religious pilgrimage visas and falsified documents to attempt illegal entry into European countries. Investigators believe Usman planned to travel onward from Saudi Arabia to Europe using forged paperwork. He has been taken into custody and transferred to the FIA Composite Circle in Gujranwala for further legal proceedings.

In a separate incident earlier this week, immigration staff at the same airport intercepted an Afghan national, Jannat Gul Niazi, who was offloaded from flight PK-749 bound for France after officials discovered he was carrying a counterfeit Greek residency card.

These incidents, along with several others, have raised concerns about internal complicity. Immigration officials at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport recently reported multiple attempts by passengers to circumvent travel rules—cases that, according to investigators, may have involved assistance from within the agency.

The alarming findings prompted an unannounced inspection on Sunday by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain. During the visit, airport officials briefed the ministers on a case involving a passenger seeking employment abroad as a driver who was stopped from travelling because he lacked a valid driving licence, despite possessing paperwork stamped with “Protector” clearance. The discrepancy raised questions about the integrity of the verification process.

Minister Hussain subsequently ordered an immediate inquiry into the Protector verification system to determine how employment-related travel documents are being authenticated and whether the process is susceptible to manipulation. He further stated that individuals whose actions tarnish the country’s reputation could face restrictions on international travel.

Administrative action

Following the revelations, the FIA has taken swift disciplinary action against personnel implicated in the investigations. On Friday, FIA Director General Riffat Mukhtar Raja dismissed three officials, including an inspector with the Counter Terrorism Wing in Karachi and a sub-inspector posted at Lahore Airport.

The Director General also recommended the removal of a Sindh Police sub-inspector on deputation with the FIA and imposed major penalties on four additional officers for misconduct and flawed investigations.

Officials emphasized that these administrative measures form part of a broader effort to root out corruption, strengthen oversight, and restore integrity at airport checkpoints nationwide. They added that investigations are ongoing and that further action will be taken as more evidence surfaces.