FIA offloads two passengers bound for Thailand over travel purpose concerns

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration authorities have offloaded two Pakistani passengers scheduled to travel to Thailand

KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Immigration authorities have offloaded two Pakistani passengers scheduled to travel to Thailand from Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport after raising questions about their stated travel purpose during immigration clearance.

According to FIA officials, the two passengers, identified as Shahid, a resident of Muzaffargarh, and Khalil, a resident of Sialkot, were travelling on Pakistani passports and held Thai tourist visas. However, their responses during preliminary questioning prompted immigration officials to seek further verification before allowing them to proceed with their journey.

Officials said the passengers were interviewed as part of the routine immigration screening process, during which authorities questioned them about the purpose of their visit, their travel plans and their intended activities in Thailand.

According to the initial inquiry, both passengers allegedly intended to enter into a same-sex marriage in Thailand and subsequently seek registration of their marriage in a European country. Their stated plans reportedly raised questions among immigration officials about whether their intended activities were consistent with the category of visas they held.

During questioning, Shahid reportedly told officials that he had been residing in Europe for an extended period. Meanwhile, Khalil stated that he had met Shahid in 2017 and had since been receiving financial assistance from him.

According to the information provided during the inquiry, Khalil said Shahid had been giving him approximately Rs60,000 per month. The two passengers also reportedly expressed their intention to live together in Europe in the future.

Following the preliminary interviews, FIA Immigration officials decided to offload both passengers from their scheduled flight to Thailand. Authorities said the decision was taken to allow further verification of their travel intentions and assess the consistency of their statements with the purpose declared under their tourist visas.

The passengers were subsequently referred for secondary screening, while further investigation into the circumstances surrounding their intended journey is underway.

FIA officials said immigration authorities examine passengers’ travel documents, visa categories, stated destinations and explanations regarding the purpose of their visits before permitting international travel. When discrepancies or unanswered questions arise during the screening process, officials may refer passengers for additional questioning and verification.

Authorities have not disclosed further details about the ongoing inquiry or indicated whether any additional legal action will be taken against the two passengers. The matter remains subject to further examination by the relevant authorities.

The incident highlights the role of immigration screening in verifying the stated purpose of international travel and determining whether passengers’ declared plans correspond with their travel documentation. Officials may seek clarification when information provided during interviews raises concerns requiring further assessment.

Further details are expected to emerge as the FIA completes its verification process and determines the next course of action in the case.