10,000 Pakistani students in UK misused visas for asylum, DG FIA reveals

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director General Dr Usman Anwar has revealed that around 10,000 Pakistani students in the United Kingdom misused student visas and later sought asylum.

The disclosure came during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior, according to a media report.

The FIA chief presented alarming figures related to illegal migration and human smuggling, stating that individuals travelling abroad through unlawful means were damaging Pakistan’s reputation internationally. He said several countries, including those in the European Union, had formally raised concerns with Pakistan over the issue.

Dr Usman Anwar informed the committee that around 10,000 Pakistani nationals who travelled to the UK on student visas later applied for asylum after arrival. He also said that 580 Pakistanis who travelled to Belarus did not return, while around 7,000 individuals who went to Azerbaijan on visit visas this year had gone missing.

He told lawmakers that 175 Pakistanis had been arrested in Libya and repatriated.

The FIA chief added that human smugglers are now using new routes through Malaysia and Uzbekistan to facilitate illegal migration. He said that due to stricter monitoring, 39,786 individuals attempting to travel without proper documentation were offloaded in 2025, while over 3,000 passengers were stopped from boarding flights due to watchlists and Interpol red notices.

Dr. Anwar also informed the committee that government measures have led to a 75 per cent reduction in organized begging groups travelling abroad, while the use of fake documents has declined by 31 percent.