FIA disciplines over 100 officials over human smuggling links since Greece boat tragedy

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has taken action against more than 100 officials accused of collusion with human smugglers following the 2023 Greece boat tragedy, officials informed the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Interior and Narcotics Control on Tuesday.

The disaster in June 2023 saw an overcrowded vessel capsize off the coast of Greece, resulting in at least 209 deaths, with hundreds more feared missing or drowned.

During the briefing, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar said 132 inquiries were launched, leading to 68 major and 36 minor penalties against staff who failed to follow proper passenger profiling procedures and allegedly facilitated illegal migration.

He added that in 2026, 22,136 passengers were stopped from traveling after risk-based screening. He also noted a significant decline in deportations linked to fake or forged documents, dropping from 281 cases in 2024 to just 13 so far in 2026.

He said that 35,459 passengers were offloaded in 2024, with deportations reaching 68,877. In 2025, 39,786 were offloaded while 57,560 were deported. He attributed the reduction in fake-document cases to stricter profiling measures.

On international concerns, the DG highlighted issues raised by partner countries regarding irregular migration, including Mediterranean boat tragedies, illegal EU border crossings, and misuse of student visas in countries such as the UK and Cyprus.

He stated that Pakistan is the third-largest source of UK student visas, but around 10,000 individuals misuse them by filing asylum claims.

He also noted that several countries, including the UK, have tightened visa rules due to abuse of student visa systems. EU authorities have also expressed concerns about illegal migration routes, including crossings through Belarus into Poland, with around 580 Pakistanis reportedly not returning from Belarus.

He further said that some students traveling to Cyprus reportedly use study visas to enter the EU, while others use routes through Senegal and Mauritania to reach Spain’s Canary Islands.

Additional concerns included begging networks in GCC countries and stranded individuals in Cambodia. Between 2024 and 2026, nearly 24,922 people traveled to Cambodia, with 3,312 failing to return, many allegedly involved in scam operations or forced labor.

He added that 7,721 Pakistanis also did not return from Azerbaijan, with a large portion traveling on visit visas.

Dr Anwar also revealed attempts involving fake blue passports used for travel to third countries, mainly originating from Gulf locations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar. He noted that 175 deported individuals had previously traveled legally to Malaysia and Azerbaijan.

He emphasized that strict screening is necessary to curb illegal migration, warning that unchecked movement cannot be allowed.