Pakistan tightens airport travel rules for UAE and other GCC countries

Karachi: The Pakistan government has tightened travel rules at the airport to ensure only 'genuine' passengers travel abroad especially to Gulf countries.

In a latest move, action was taken against a total of 52 Pakistanis deported to Pakistan from seven different countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United States, the UAE and Sweden, due to a variety of reasons including visa issues, overstays, and illegal activities.

The deportees included individuals who faced issues such as drug trafficking, illegal stay, and lost or forged documents. In addition, multiple passengers were offloaded at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport for not having the proper documentation for their flights.

The majority of the deportees arrived from Saudi Arabia, where at least 42 Pakistanis were sent back. Among them, two were blacklisted, while others faced deportation for overstaying their visas, losing passports, or complaints filed by sponsors. Additionally, some were reportedly involved in criminal activities, such as begging or alleged drug trafficking, Geo Tv reported.

Authorities in Saudi Arabia also deported individuals for administrative violations, such as illegal stays and expired documents.

Meanwhile, Pakistanis were also deported from the United States, Sweden, Oman, and the UAE. Notably, one Pakistani was sent back from Sweden for staying illegally, and two others were returned from the US for entering the country without proper documentation. Oman deported a Pakistani for visa expiration, while two others were returned from the UAE for overstaying their permits.

In addition to the deportees, a number of passengers attempting to board flights from Karachi were offloaded for lacking necessary travel documents. The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Immigration Cell detained at least 13 passengers, preventing them from leaving due to issues such as missing hotel bookings, insufficient funds for travel expenses, and incomplete paperwork.

Among those offloaded were Umrah pilgrims who failed to provide proof of hotel reservations or sufficient funds, as well as a passenger named Wasim Abbas, who was headed to Qatar but lacked the required documentation for his work visa. Several others trying to travel to Oman, Azerbaijan, Italy, the UAE and Tanzania were prevented from boarding due to missing documents or unresolved visa issues.

Authorities continue to enforce strict guidelines for outbound travel, ensuring that all passengers meet the necessary requirements before departure.

The recent wave of deportations and offloading highlights ongoing issues related to immigration violations and the importance of proper documentation for international travel.

While many deportations stem from overstays and administrative errors, others involve criminal activities that tarnish the image of the country.

The actions at Karachi Airport serve as a reminder of the rigorous immigration controls in place, aiming to ensure that passengers comply with both local and international travel regulations.