Business Desk 
Nov 05, 2025
An image of the Federal Investigation Agency logo can be seen outside the FIA building in Islamabad. — FIA Website
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration Karachi has rejected reports circulating on social media that passengers from Punjab are being stopped from travelling abroad at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport.
On Wednesday, the FIA released a statement stating that those claims are “baseless and misleading,” and added that there was no restriction on passengers from any of the provinces.
“Passengers from Punjab and all other areas of Pakistan are freely departing Karachi Airport without issue,” the statement said.
According to the agency, the same immigration process applies to all Pakistani citizens, and their officers continue to serve passengers with “professionalism, courtesy and legality.”
The FIA added that they have only increased their checks in specific cases to prevent human trafficking and exploitation by illegal agents.
The statement further stated that enhanced immigration profiling is applied primarily to first-time travellers or to those who might be suspected of being at risk.
Notably, the FIA says that these measures were put into place to protect citizens from networks engaged in human smuggling that promise people jobs in countries abroad.
The agency clarified that first-time travellers choosing to depart from Karachi instead of their nearest airport may be asked for additional details, but those providing valid reasons and documentation face no inconvenience.
Reaffirming its stance, FIA Karachi said it remains committed to serving all citizens equally, ensuring their dignity, safety, and right to legal travel.
