Ijaz Kakakhel Islamabad
A legislative body of Upper House of parliament on Wednesday directed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to issue notices to the booking agents’ country wide that no encashment will be allowed on any return ticket after the exit of the passenger till its return back to their home country, while traveling on a visit visa. The direction was given in the Senate Standing Committee on Aviation, which held today while Senator Hadiyat Ullah was on chair.
These measures are taken to curtail the misuse of return tickets for illicit settlement/work purpose aboard. The officials FIA/ Immigration HQ’s, apprised the committee that the issue of cancellation of return ticket by the agent back in the home county, after the passenger has flown out has been flagged earlier. The official informed that after the check by the immigration, the traveler is deported and the airlines also have to pay heavy fine. The committee commented that it is a serious offence and the FIA is not properly exercising its powers to curtail it. The committee stressed that this is not only causing great defamation to the country but also comes under the domain of national offence and strict notice should be taken on it.
