The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Wednesday dismissed reports claiming a travel ban at Karachi airport, asserting that passengers from all provinces are travelling freely without any restrictions.
In an official statement, an FIA spokesperson said, “No such ban is in place,” rejecting allegations of discrimination against passengers from Punjab or other provinces. The spokesperson clarified that immigration checks and passenger profiling had only been intensified in specific cases to ensure citizen safety.
“This step has been taken purely to protect innocent citizens from the agent mafia, which deceives people into travelling abroad illegally,” the official added.
According to FIA officials, individuals travelling abroad for the first time, especially those not belonging to Sindh, undergo additional verification before departure. “Passengers who provide satisfactory explanations and complete documentation face no difficulty,” the spokesperson assured.
The agency further explained that this policy primarily applies to travellers who opt for Karachi airport instead of their nearest airports. Such passengers are asked to clarify their reason for doing so before being cleared to travel.
Sources told that 57 passengers were offloaded from a recent flight — including 35 Umrah pilgrims and 22 people holding employment visas — after immigration officials refused to stamp their passports.
FIA officials noted that passengers from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and other provinces will undergo extra screening if they choose to depart from Karachi for their first international trip. “Those who have not travelled abroad before and do not belong to Sindh will be stopped for verification,” they said, adding that first-time travellers from Punjab are encouraged to use nearby airports for departure.
