Pakistan to crack down on citizens deported from abroad

Pakistan’s government has announced strict legal action against citizens deported from foreign countries, citing growing international embarrassment and concerns over illegal migration.

In a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, senior officials including Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, the Interior Secretary, Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and the Director General of Passports agreed to impose a series of punitive measures on deported individuals.

The Ministry of Interior confirmed that First Information Reports (FIRs) will be registered against deported individuals in Pakistan. Their passports will be canceled, and they will be added to a passport control list for five years, effectively barring them from obtaining new travel documents during that period.

“Deported individuals are becoming a source of embarrassment for Pakistan on the international stage. No concessions will be made in the future,” said Interior Minister Naqvi.

Legal reforms and bilateral cooperation

A committee has also been formed under the chairmanship of the Interior Secretary to review and tighten passport laws, ensuring that the country’s legal framework aligns with international efforts to combat illegal immigration and transnational crime.

The crackdown follows discussions held earlier this month between Pakistani authorities and officials from the UK-Pakistan Serious Crime and Law Enforcement Program (UPSCALE). The talks covered a wide range of issues including illegal immigration, child exploitation, extradition, exchange of criminal records, and anti-narcotics efforts.

Minister Naqvi emphasized the need for continued cooperation with international partners such as the United Kingdom, stating that mutual assistance had already improved the process of legal cooperation between the two countries. He also confirmed that deported individuals would be included in the passport control list as part of broader efforts to curb unlawful migration.

The meeting also reviewed a proposal to add sex offenders to the passport control list. Officials noted that Pakistan has now established its first national sex offender registry.

Rising deportation numbers

Recent years have seen a consistent influx of deported Pakistanis. According to government data, 58,758 Pakistanis were deported in 2021, 51,869 in 2022, and 43,578 in 2023. The majority were returned via air travel, while thousands were repatriated by land routes.

From 2015 to 2020, an average of 283 Pakistanis were deported daily—totaling more than 618,000 individuals from 138 countries. Saudi Arabia alone accounted for 321,590 deportations during this period, representing over half of the total. Other major deporting nations included Iran (136,930), the UAE (53,649), and the United Kingdom (8,000).

The trend has continued into 2025. In just 48 hours, earlier this year, 131 Pakistanis were deported from 12 countries, with 74 sent back by Saudi Arabia alone. In February 2025, 66 more were deported from seven countries, reflecting ongoing challenges related to illegal migration and enforcement.

One particularly troubling aspect highlighted by the Interior Ministry involves the deportation of Pakistani beggars. Since 2024, 5,402 beggars have been repatriated, including 4,850 in 2024 alone. Most were returned from Saudi Arabia (4,498) and Iraq (242).

In January 2025, a further 258 deportations were recorded from seven countries, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

As Pakistan steps up its response to these trends, officials hope that stronger enforcement measures and international cooperation will help mitigate the reputational and legal consequences of illegal migration.