FIA says over 100 officials penalised after Greece boat tragedy

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency has taken disciplinary action against more than 100 officials for alleged links with human smugglers since the 2023 Greece boat disaster, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control was told on Tuesday.

Briefing the panel, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar said 132 inquiries had been launched, resulting in 68 major and 36 minor penalties against officials accused of failing to follow the standard profiling mechanism and facilitating illegal migration. The action follows the June 2023 sinking off Greece in which at least 209 people died, while hundreds of others were feared dead or missing.

Dr Anwar told lawmakers that stricter screening had led to 22,136 passengers being offloaded in 2026 after assessment against risk profiles. He also said deportation-related cases involving fake or forged documents had fallen sharply, from 281 in 2024 to 13 so far in 2026.

Addressing broader migration trends, the FIA chief said 35,459 passengers were offloaded in 2024, when deportations were close to 68,877. In 2025, 39,786 passengers were offloaded and deportations declined to 57,560. He attributed the drop in fake-document deportations to tighter profiling at departure points.

International concerns

According to Dr Anwar, international partners have raised concerns over Mediterranean boat disasters linked to smuggling attempts, illegal crossings into the European Union, and misuse of study visas in the United Kingdom and Cyprus.

He told the committee that Pakistan is the third-largest recipient of UK student visas, but around 10,000 people misuse those visas by seeking asylum. He also said eight UK universities had reportedly restricted visa sponsorships for Bangladeshi students, while the UK had imposed visa restrictions on Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar and Sudan over abuse of study visas.

The FIA chief said European Union delegations had also pointed to illegal migration routes, including crossings from Belarus into Poland. He informed the committee that 580 Pakistanis had not returned from Belarus.

He said some travellers leaving for Cyprus on study visas later attempt to enter the EU through other routes, while routes through Senegal and Mauritania are used to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. He also highlighted concerns related to organised begging in Gulf countries and the situation of Pakistanis stranded in Cambodia.

From 2024 to 2026, 24,922 passengers travelled to Cambodia and 3,312 did not return, Dr Anwar said, adding that many were involved in scam operations or subjected to bonded labour. He said 80 per cent of those travellers had gone on visit or tourist visas. He further told lawmakers that 7,721 passengers had not returned from Azerbaijan, with 70 per cent travelling on visit visas.

Dr Anwar also said attempts had been made to use fake blue passports for onward travel to third countries, with most such cases originating in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar. He added that 175 people deported last month had travelled to Malaysia and Azerbaijan on valid visas.

Speaking on the agency’s approach, he said screening remained necessary to curb illegal migration.

“Screening was the only way to prevent illegal migration, and a free-for-all cannot be allowed,” said DG FIA.

Policy steps and appeals mechanism

The committee was told that the Prime Minister’s Office had issued eight directives aimed at curbing human smuggling, while a committee formed after the 2023 tragedy recommended stronger scrutiny of travel to high-risk destinations from hotspot districts.

Dr Anwar said Standing Order No 02/2026 had introduced a formal appeal and review process for passengers who are offloaded.

“Supervisory scrutiny and documented reasons are mandatory,” Dr Anwar said.

He said offloading decisions remain under continuous oversight and are taken only on the basis of approved risk indicators.

Citing Frontex data, the FIA chief said illegal migration towards Europe fell by 26pc in 2025, while the first two months of 2026 recorded a 64pc drop compared with the same period a year earlier. He said deportations linked to organised begging dropped by 75pc in 2025, deportations for fake or forged documents decreased by 31pc, and overall deportations were down 16pc.

“The International Centre for Migration Policy Development, an EU-based organisation, has acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts against human smuggling and trafficking,” added Anwar.

Technology and passport controls

Dr Anwar said the FIA was working on Advance Passenger Information and Passenger Name Record systems for pre-risk assessment, along with e-gates for automated immigration control and a mobile data collection application called eIMMI.

“The IBMS and IT sections are being restructured in line with global standards,” said DG FIA, adding that a National Command and Control Centre is planned for integration of databases at airports, seaports and land border crossings.

An official of the Immigration and Passports Department told the committee that 57,510 deportees are currently listed on the Passport Control List, also known as the blacklist. Director Policy Shahid Riaz Gujjar said names are added under Rule 22 of the Passport Rules 2021 on written recommendations from Pakistani missions abroad or agencies including Interpol, based on reports from host-country authorities.

He said names entered on recommendations from agencies, departments or courts are removed once those same forums issue directions for removal. The normal retention period is five years, though it can be extended if justified.

Under standard operating procedures issued by the interior ministry on March 11, 2025, people deported before May 8, 2023 are not to be placed on the Passport Control List because the two-year period has expired. Those deported after May 8, 2023 will remain on the list for five years. Individuals deported for overstaying who later obtain a valid work visa or work permit will also not be placed on the list. The committee was told that a review body set up by the Ministry of Interior has submitted recommendations on the Passport Control List policy for approval.

The immigration official also said approval for issuing passports in cases involving a third or fourth lost passport had been halted for further scrutiny because of possible concealment of facts and misuse. Such matters are dealt with under Rule 15 of the Passport Rules 2021, while a separate committee has submitted policy proposals on pending cases that are awaiting approval.

Minister of State Tallal Chaudhry told the committee there are curbs on issuing a fresh travel document after a third or fourth lost passport.

“Many individuals report the loss of a second passport within a month. The IDs are sold and misused, bringing a bad name to the country,” he said.