Islamabad: Pakistanis deported from other countries over forged documents will now face prosecution and a possible seven years in jail, according to a report quoting a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) official.

Dr Usman Anwar, an FIA director posted in the eastern city of Lahore, told a daily that the agency has now placed deported persons into different categories.

The general deportees who reach home under the voluntary return programme still enjoy “victim” status, the official said.

The people returning home under the European Union Readmission Agreement will also be considered a victim even if they entered the foreign land illegally, he said.

“However, we have classified those deported for forged documents into categories. Those deported on forged documents will be arrested. A case will be registered against them, their agents and immigration officials involved in helping them board the flight,” he said.

Those leaving Pakistan on genuine visas for their first destination but from then travelling to another country on forged documents will be booked under the law when deported.

Anwar said immigration officials have been directed to try to stop potential illegal immigrants who have valid visas for the UAE or Malaysia but from there could travel to a European destination or Australia on forged documents with the help of human smugglers.

The FIA has managed to stop “a good number of potential illegal immigrants at the Lahore airport”, he said, adding that 70,000 Pakistanis were deported annually — 30,000 from Saudi Arabia and the rest from Europe and elsewhere.