The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration on Wednesday denied reports of a travel ban at Karachi airport, saying that passengers from all provinces were travelling freely without any restrictions.

An FIA spokesperson in Karachi dismissed the rumors, clarifying that “no such ban is in place.” The official also rejected claims of discrimination against passengers from Punjab or other provinces.

Explaining the situation, the spokesperson said that immigration checks had only been made more effective in specific cases to protect citizens from human trafficking networks, commonly known as the “agent mafia.” These agents often mislead people into travelling abroad and then put them on unsafe journeys by sea.

According to FIA officials, extra verification is carried out mainly for first-time travelers, especially those who do not belong to Sindh, to ensure their documents are genuine. “Passengers who provide proper documents and clear explanations face no trouble,” the spokesperson assured.

The agency added that travelers using Karachi airport instead of their nearest airports may be asked why they chose to depart from there.

Sources told a private News channel that 57 passengers were recently offloaded from a flight, including 35 Umrah pilgrims and 22 individuals with employment visas. Officials said such measures are part of the FIA’s effort to prevent illegal travel, not a blanket travel ban.

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