LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration at Lahore Airport conducted a series of actions preventing illegal travel attempts and taking several passengers into custody in separate incidents, according to official press releases issued by the FIA Headquarters, Islamabad.
In the first incident, the FIA Immigration Lahore off-loaded a passenger identified as Mehran Ahmed from Gujranwala, who attempted to travel to Spain on flight QR-629 using a passport obtained through false identity. During immigration clearance, officials found that the passenger’s facial features did not match the photograph on the passport. Upon interrogation, the passenger admitted that he was a resident of Spain and had previously travelled on his old passport. He further confessed that during online passport renewal, he deliberately placed his brother’s photograph on the new passport and intended to use the same document to take his brother illegally to Spain. The FIA handed the accused over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore for further legal action. The agency stated that biometric and photographic verification of online-renewed passports is being strictly enforced to prevent misuse and impersonation.
In another development, five Pakistani citizens deported from Sharjah for carrying fake United Kingdom visas were taken into custody upon arrival at the Lahore Airport. The individuals were identified as Waqar Anjum, Tayyab Iftikhar, Ali Shan, Malik Zaheer and Malik Zeeshan. According to the FIA, the group had travelled from Lahore to Malaysia earlier this year on visit visas and later attempted to reach the UK from Sharjah, using forged travel documents obtained through agents. After detection of the fake visas, they were deported to Pakistan and subsequently transferred to the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore. Further investigation is underway.
In a separate case, the FIA Immigration Lahore arrested a passenger who attempted to use an Umrah trip as a cover for illegal travel to Europe. The suspect, Muhammad Abdur Rehman, had travelled to Jeddah with his mother for Umrah last month. During his stay in Saudi Arabia, he met his cousin who provided him with a passport and Spanish residence card. While his mother returned to Pakistan after performing Umrah, Abdur Rehman travelled to Baku on December 3, 2025, using an Azerbaijan visa arranged through the cousin. From Azerbaijan, he attempted to fly to Italy by adopting the identity of a man named Junaid Ali and using his passport and residence permit. He was intercepted during transit in Istanbul, where immigration officials declared him an impostor and deported him back to Pakistan. Upon his arrival, the FIA arrested him and transferred him to the Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore for further legal proceedings.
According to the FIA, strict profiling of young passengers travelling for Umrah, particularly those accompanied by women, is being carried out.
The FIA spokesperson confirmed the actions, stating that efforts against human smuggling, impersonation and misuse of travel documents are continuing.
