Islamabad, Pakistan: Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) says deportations of Pakistani citizens for begging abroad have fallen by 75%, attributing the decline to stricter immigration controls and the introduction of artificial intelligence-based passenger screening at airports.
According to senior FIA officials, the agency’s enhanced immigration measures have also contributed to a 47% reduction in illegal border crossings by Pakistani nationals into Europe, reflecting improved border management and risk assessment procedures.
Speaking to The News, senior FIA official Dr. Athar Waheed said the number of Pakistanis deported for begging overseas has declined by 75%, while deportations linked to forged travel documents have decreased by 31%.
He added that, compared with 2024, the overall deportation of Pakistani citizens from European countries fell by 16% during 2025, indicating an improvement in compliance with immigration regulations.
Dr. Waheed said data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) also shows that illegal border crossings by Pakistani nationals into Europe declined by 47% during the first four months of 2026.
According to the FIA, this progress is the result of intelligence-led immigration checks and enhanced risk profiling at Pakistani airports.
The agency said the improvements followed the implementation of the upgraded Integrated Border Management System (IBMS-II), which has been linked with databases maintained by NADRA, Interpol, the Immigration and Passport System (IMPASS), and the Bureau of Immigration.
In addition, the FIA has established a Risk Analysis Unit and introduced an AI-powered passenger profiling system through its e-IMMI pre-departure desk. The technology is designed to identify high-risk passengers before they leave the country, allowing authorities to detect suspicious travel patterns and prevent illegal migration.
Officials said these measures form part of a broader strategy to combat illegal immigration, dismantle networks involved in the organized misuse of visas, and strengthen Pakistan’s international reputation for enforcing immigration laws.
The FIA’s claims are also supported by a downward trend in deportations from Gulf countries.
According to figures shared by FIA Additional Director General (Immigration) Nauman Siddiqui, and reported by Arab News, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states deported around 4,800 Pakistani nationals for begging in 2024.
That figure declined to approximately 1,100 in 2025 and has fallen further to 802 so far this year, which officials attribute to stricter enforcement against people travelling on visit visas for the purpose of begging.
Nauman Siddiqui said surveillance and enforcement measures at Pakistani airports have also been significantly strengthened.
He noted that 507 suspected beggars were prevented from boarding international flights in 2024, while the number rose to 597 in 2025 as enforcement intensified.
However, during the first six months of the current year, only 27 individuals were stopped from travelling on suspicion of intending to beg abroad, suggesting that tighter screening and legal action have discouraged the practice.
The FIA also said it has stepped up legal action against individuals and networks involved in facilitating overseas begging.
According to the agency, 34 criminal cases were registered against suspected beggars removed from flights in 2024, increasing to 38 cases in 2025.
Meanwhile, the number of cases registered against deported beggars rose sharply, from 50 FIRs in 2024 to 239 FIRs in 2025, as investigators expanded efforts to target the organized networks that allegedly facilitate and profit from overseas begging.
The FIA maintains that continued use of advanced technology, intelligence-based immigration screening, and coordinated law enforcement will help further reduce illegal migration, visa abuse, and deportations while improving Pakistan’s compliance with international immigration standards.
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