GUJRAT: Immigration authorities at Sialkot International Airport on Sunday offloaded nine passengers believed to be attempting to travel to Europe through human trafficking networks, amid growing complaints from legitimate travelers about increased scrutiny at airports.
According to officials from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the passengers were intercepted while boarding flight FZ316 to Djibouti via Dubai. The group — identified as Tassawar Abbas, Muhammad Siddique, Baber Hussain, Muhammad Saleem, Akhlaq Ahmed, Muqarrabul Hassan, Muhammad Talha, Imran Sikandar and Usman Ali — allegedly failed to provide credible reasons for their travel plans.
During questioning, the passengers reportedly admitted they had paid human traffickers around Rs4.2 million each to reach Italy through Libya. Their journey was intended to take them first to Djibouti, from where they were to be transported to the Libyan coast and onward to Europe by boat.
The offloaded individuals belonged to Gujrat, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad and Sheikhupura districts and were later handed over to the FIA Composite Circle in Gujranwala for further legal action.
Officials noted that the rate of passengers offloaded from select cities, age brackets and destinations has risen in recent months due to heightened vigilance against human trafficking attempts. However, the increased scrutiny has drawn criticism from businesspeople, overseas Pakistanis and tourists who say they are being unfairly targeted despite holding valid travel documents.
Ahmed Hassan Mattu, president of the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GtCCI), said multiple members had complained of being offloaded from flights departing Lahore, Sialkot and other airports, even when carrying proper documentation and GtCCI recommendation letters. He urged authorities to ensure that genuine travelers were not inconvenienced.
Rate of offloaded passengers from certain cities, age groups and specific destinations has seen a surge during the last couple of months. https://t.co/GO1JsTdIQt
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) November 24, 2025
Similar concerns have been voiced by expatriate Pakistanis. Rashid Khan, president of the UK-Pak Businessmen Chamber, recently recounted difficulties he faced at Sialkot Airport, describing the attitude of immigration staff as discouraging and calling for intervention by senior officials.
Several overseas Pakistanis from the Gujrat region have also lodged complaints, saying the current approach has created unnecessary hurdles for legitimate travelers.
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Responding to the criticism, Gujranwala FIA Zone Director Muhammad Bin Ashraf denied the existence of any harsh policy or new directives. He said passengers were being offloaded only when documentation appeared dubious or the purpose of travel seemed suspicious.
Authorities maintain that stricter checks remain essential in curbing human trafficking networks, which continue to exploit vulnerable individuals seeking irregular passage to Europe.
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