Stakeholders object to proposed Pakistan Immigration, Passport and Visa Authority

LAHORE: After preparing the draft of an ordinance for the establishment of “Pakistan Immigration, Passport and Visa Authority” by the federal government, certain objections and reservations have been raised by the stakeholders.

The Interior Ministry had sought suggestions from the Establishment Division Secretary, Finance Secretary, Foreign Secretary, FIA DG, Directorate General ISI and Joint Director General (S2) Intelligence Bureau, Islamabad, on the establishment of the authority.

The stakeholders have raised objections to the draft ordinance for the establishment of “Pakistan Immigration, Passport and Visa Authority” and said that under the Companies Ordinance 1984, the authority will be an autonomous body like the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority in which decisions will be taken not only by the Government of Pakistan but also by a board directors drawn from the private sector.

The objections also said that the addition of five directors from the private sector could expose sensitive data and possibly the data of military and security officers. Stakeholders objected that the Exit Control List should have been regulated under the ECL Ordinance 1981, which is a special jurisdiction of the FIA to control the movement of criminals, most wanted persons and terrorists. This includes the arrest of individuals involved in anti-state activities and those wanted by international law enforcement agencies. Giving the powers of management of entry and exit points at international borders to an autonomous authority may lead to national security and sensitive data leakage, which may hamper the operations of Pakistan’s security and intelligence agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been told that FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Wings are effectively preventing human trafficking under the concept of Border Control Management under one roof. FIA’s achievements and efforts in dealing with Trafficking in Persons and Immigration Ordinance 1979 have been recognized internationally by organizations such as UNODC, CMPD and the US government.