Illegal travel to Europe drops 47% as FIA arrests 451 trafficking suspects in 2025

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) informed a review meeting on Saturday that 451 individuals linked to human trafficking and illegal travel networks have been arrested this year, resulting in a significant decline in unlawful migration from Pakistan.

According to the FIA, illegal travel by Pakistanis to Europe has dropped by 47 per cent, with similar reductions recorded in cases involving the United Kingdom and Gulf countries.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who chaired the meeting, said authorities were intensifying efforts to curb human trafficking and illegal migration. He noted that the federal interior minister had personally visited airports to review offloading cases, describing the initiative as a proactive step to improve oversight.

The meeting identified misuse of work, visit and tourist visas as key contributors to illegal migration, along with offloading and deportation incidents. Most deported passengers were reported to have returned from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Malaysia and Oman.

The prime minister stressed that measures against illegal travel and suspicious documentation should be implemented carefully to ensure travellers with valid documents are not inconvenienced. He emphasised the need for improved coordination between the Protectorate of Emigrants, the FIA and other relevant institutions to facilitate legal overseas employment.

Shehbaz also called for greater use of technology to streamline immigration procedures and directed continued action against corruption within the FIA, noting that 196 officers and personnel have already been dismissed on corruption charges.

The FIA briefed participants on the establishment of a Risk Assessment Unit aimed at enhancing passenger screening using data on deported and illegally travelling individuals.