Assalamualaikum - Minister asks for action after overseas Pakistani workers with valid visas were stopped at airports
Assalamualaikum - I saw reports that workers leaving Pakistan with valid work visas were being offloaded at airports, and the Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis, Chaudhry Salik Hussain, has taken notice. He instructed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to look into the matter and make sure these kinds of incidents don’t happen again.
The issue came up after media mentioned a supposed new rule asking people travelling for work to show a sworn affidavit signed by a senior government official, saying they will work legally in the destination country and won’t try to migrate illegally to a third country. That step was said to be aimed at stopping human smuggling and protecting people who are going abroad for legitimate jobs, but several workers were reportedly turned away at airports in recent days.
Hussain stressed that no one should be unlawfully stopped at airports and reminded everyone that overseas Pakistanis send important remittances that support our economy and deserve respect. The FIA chief, Riffat Mukhtar, said cases at Lahore and Karachi airports are being investigated. The FIA also stated that no new travel condition has been officially imposed for work visa holders and denied that affidavits signed by government officers are now required before departure.
Mukhtar warned that if any FIA staff are found responsible for offloading workers without cause, strict action will be taken. She also mentioned a new digital immigration system is coming soon so workers can complete pre-departure checks online. The Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and the FIA are reportedly preparing standard operating procedures to stop these problems from recurring.
May Allah make travel easy and protect our brothers and sisters working abroad. Please keep those affected in your duas.
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