 said in its annual immigration report.){kind=link}
In 2023, around 8 million Pakistanis traveled to foreign countries, as stated in the annual immigration report by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). The report also highlighted that the FIA Immigration managed 19.5 million passengers at international arrival and departure counters.
Out of the total passengers, 9.2 million arrived in Pakistan, including 7.1 million Pakistanis and 2.1 million foreigners. On the departure side, 10.3 million passengers left Pakistan, with 8.1 million being Pakistani nationals and 2.2 million foreigners.
FIA: More than 8 million Pakistanis left abroad during 2023
Lahore Airport served as a major hub, facilitating the travel of 3.6 million Pakistani passengers, followed closely by Islamabad Airport with 3.5 million passengers for both arrivals and departures. Across the country, 29 international arrival and departure immigration check posts were operational.
To ensure security, airports implemented strict screening procedures. Additionally, Islamabad Airport saw approximately 1.1 million foreigners traveling for arrivals and departures.
More than 8 million Pakistanis to leave the country by 2023
The FIA’s Integrated Border Management System handled 2935 stop list cases and apprehended 1602 human traffickers. Operations against human trafficking led to the arrest of 25 most wanted traffickers. Despite these efforts, Pakistan maintained its Tier 2 status in the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2023.
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Furthermore, measures were taken to prevent individuals from using Umrah as a cover for begging and to prevent tragedies like the Greece boat accident. Approximately 1,129 passengers were offloaded due to fake documents, contributing to enhanced security protocols at airports.