FIA Director General Dr. Usman Anwar said 171 Pakistanis were recently recovered from
Libya after travelling abroad through air routes. He shared these details while speaking to
journalists at the Lahore High Court about passenger travel and immigration checks. According
to Dr. Usman Anwar, all 171 people had initially travelled by air before reaching Libya through
different routes. He said people from one particular region of Pakistan were reportedly involved
in many such cases. Some travellers reportedly use Malaysia or Thailand visit visas before
continuing their journey towards Libya. Others travel on Umrah visas and later become
connected with human smuggling networks operating through dangerous routes. Dr. Usman
Anwar said authorities later recovered these Pakistani citizens after they reached Libya through
such networks. He also explained that FIA officials conduct checks when passengers have
unclear travel details or incomplete information. The FIA chief said the purpose of these checks
is to identify possible risks before passengers leave Pakistan.

Dr. Usman Anwar said the Lahore High Court had established a proper process for passenger
offloading at airports. Under this process, FIA officials are required to provide reasons when
passengers are stopped from travelling abroad. He explained that officials check whether
travellers understand their destination, documents and purpose of their journey. He gave the
example of passengers travelling on business visas without knowing basic information about
their business plans. Such situations can raise questions during the checking process and may
require further verification by officials. The FIA has also established separate counters where
passengers can undergo initial checks before travel decisions are made. Dr. Usman Anwar said
passenger offloading represents around 0.25 percent of Pakistan’s total population. He said the
process aims to protect citizens from human smugglers and dangerous migration routes. A
Lahore High Court judgment has also required competent officers to record specific written
reasons for offloading decisions.

Source: Media remarks by FIA Director General Dr. Usman Anwar at the Lahore High
Court

habib