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Pakistani citizens deported for violating immigration laws will now face a five-year ban on international travel, the Interior Ministry announced after a high-level meeting chaired by Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Under the new regulation, the passports of deported citizens will be cancelled, and their names added to the Passport Control List (PCL). This move is part of efforts to stop illegal travel from Pakistan to other countries.
The Interior Ministry said a committee has been formed to implement this decision immediately and to recommend improvements in passport laws.
Officials confirmed that the law will apply on a case-by-case basis, targeting those who knowingly engage in visa fraud.
Citizens deported despite holding valid visas will not fall under this ban. The FIA’s Immigration Wing will use travel records to decide each case.
This action follows recent meetings between Minister Naqvi and European diplomats, where both sides agreed to increase crackdowns on illegal migration.
The Interior Ministry has previously restricted passports of repeat offenders, placing many names on a stop list.
Barrister Aslam Sheikh, an expert in immigration law, said, “Although the government has the right to control illegal migration, such bans may violate constitutional rights and could be challenged in court.”
He added that global immigration rules are becoming stricter, and developing countries are adjusting their laws under international pressure, especially from Western nations.
Editor at Times of Karachi
