Pakistan Imposes Travel Restrictions on First-Time Flyers

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in Pakistan has levied restrictions on first-time travellers, especially those around 35 years old, from the areas of Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Mandi Bahauddin, and Jhelum, travelling to specific countries, including Saudi Arabia, even for Umrah, The Dawn reported.

The agency is implementing strict measures for passengers traveling to 15 countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkiye, Qatar, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Senegal, Mauritania, and Kenya.

As per a petition filed by a pilgrim to the Lahore High Court, who was denied from travelling to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, the FIA said that the travellers must have a clear travel purpose along with confirmed hotel bookings, and adequate financial resources. The law enforcement agency also mentioned that those travelling for Umrah should have fair understanding of religious texts, Dawn reported.

Notably, many Pakistani citizens who travelled to Umrah fell victim to a spate of capsizing incidents in countries like Libya, South Greece, and Morocco/Mauritania. A huge chunk of individuals aged between 15 and 40 years came from areas like Mandi Bahauddin, Gujrat, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Bhimber, Jhelum, Toba Tek Singh, Hafizabad, and Sheikhpura.