People trying to travel to New Zealand come from Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar.
International visitor spending in the United States is projected to fall below $169 billion this year, down from $181 billion in 2024, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. PHOTO: FREE PHOTO
According to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), four passengers were disembarked at Islamabad International Airport on Thursday for allegedly attempting to travel on forged work visas.
The people (Muhammad Imran, Mian Tauseef, Sultan Afzal and Abdul Rehman) were to board flight CZ8070 bound for New Zealand. They are said to belong to Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
During routine immigration checks, the work visas presented by the passengers were found to be suspected fakes. Their passports also bore protective stamps from offices in Rawalpindi, Abbottabad and Peshawar, raising even more suspicions, authorities said.
The FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Cell detained the passengers for further investigation and launched an investigation to trace the officer allegedly involved in the scandal. Officials said visa verification is underway.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif has called for stricter immigration controls and protection for legal travelers. According to the FIA, 451 people involved in human trafficking and illegal migration have been arrested in recent months.
In recent months, several reports have emerged of passengers with complete documentation being downloaded during immigration checks. Many travelers have complained of facing difficulties despite having valid visas and travel documents.
Read: The FIA investigates the dismissal of workers at airports
The prime minister has ordered authorities to ensure that passengers with valid travel documents are not treated as illegal immigrants during screening procedures.
