Pakistan’s FIA Immigration Crackdown has produced significant results, with senior officials reporting a 75% decline in the deportation of Pakistani citizens involved in overseas begging.
Authorities attribute the improvement to stricter immigration enforcement, artificial intelligence-based passenger screening, and enhanced border management systems introduced at the country’s international airports.
According to senior FIA official Dr. Athar Waheed, deportations linked to overseas begging have fallen dramatically following the implementation of intelligence-led immigration checks.
He also revealed that deportations caused by fake travel documents declined by 31%, while the overall number of Pakistani nationals deported from European countries decreased by 16% in 2025 compared to 2024.
The agency further highlighted encouraging figures from Europe. Data published by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) showed a 47% reduction in illegal border crossings by Pakistani nationals during the first four months of 2026.
FIA officials credit this improvement to better passenger profiling, intelligence gathering, and risk-based immigration inspections conducted before departure.
Officials said these gains became possible after upgrading Pakistan’s Integrated Border Management System (IBMS-II). The modern system is connected with databases maintained by NADRA, Interpol, the Immigration and Passport System (IMPASS), and the Bureau of Immigration. Additionally, the FIA established a dedicated Risk Analysis Unit and introduced the AI-powered e-IMMI pre-departure screening system to identify high-risk travellers before boarding international flights.
The FIA Immigration Crackdown is also aimed at dismantling organised networks involved in illegal migration, visa misuse, and human smuggling. Authorities believe these reforms are improving Pakistan’s international reputation by strengthening compliance with immigration laws and reducing irregular migration trends that have concerned foreign governments for years.
Statistics from Gulf countries also indicate a sharp decline in deportations related to begging. FIA Additional Director General (Immigration) Nauman Siddiqui stated that around 4,800 Pakistanis were deported from Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries in 2024 for begging. The figure dropped to approximately 1,100 in 2025 and further declined to 802 during the current year, reflecting stricter monitoring of visit visa misuse and stronger enforcement measures.
Officials added that airport surveillance has become significantly tougher. Hundreds of suspected beggars were prevented from travelling abroad in 2024 and 2025, while only 27 individuals were stopped during the first six months of the current year.
At the same time, FIA has intensified legal action against facilitators, with criminal cases increasing substantially as investigators continue targeting organised networks behind overseas begging and illegal migration. The agency believes these sustained efforts will further strengthen Pakistan’s immigration system and discourage visa abuse in the years ahead.
