SIALKOT: A delegation from the European Union has visited Sialkot International Airport to review immigration procedures and assess measures taken by Pakistan to prevent irregular migration, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Tuesday.
According to an FIA spokesperson, the delegation was briefed on the functioning, performance and recent achievements of FIA Immigration at Sialkot Airport, with a particular focus on progress made over the past five months.
The visiting team included the Frontex officer to Pakistan, an official from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, a representative of the Embassy of Hungary in Pakistan, and an official from the International Centre for Migration Policy Development.
The briefing focused on steps taken to curb irregular migration, including the implementation of risk indicators, enhanced passenger profiling mechanisms, and the effective use of the Second Line Border Control Office, the spokesperson said.
The delegation was also informed about pre-departure facilitation mechanisms established at both the zonal and airport levels to strengthen border management, improve operational efficiency and ensure a passenger-friendly environment.
Last week, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced that the FIA had established pre-departure facilitation desks at all its zonal offices across the country to assist international travellers.
The visit comes amid heightened scrutiny of outbound passengers following a crackdown on migrant smuggling after a 2024 boat tragedy off the coast of Greece that claimed the lives of several Pakistanis. FIA data shows that around 66,154 passengers were offloaded last year despite holding valid travel documents, with most cases reported at Lahore and Karachi airports.
In recent months, immigration authorities have offloaded several passengers at Sialkot Airport over suspected links with human smugglers. In December, four passengers from Sialkot and Gujranwala were stopped from travelling to Indonesia and Turkiye, while two others were offloaded for allegedly attempting to reach Europe under the guise of performing Umrah.
An analysis of the Immigration Border Management System data for July to December 2024 revealed a trend of passengers travelling to at least 15 transit countries, with a significant number originating from nine districts of Punjab, including Sialkot.
The FIA spokesperson said the EU delegation appreciated the professionalism and commitment of immigration staff at Sialkot International Airport in ensuring secure and robust border control operations.
