ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis residing overseas who maintain an invalid, expired or canceled Nationwide Identification Card for Abroad Pakistanis (NICOP) will now not be allowed to board flights to Pakistan, official sources mentioned on Wednesday.
In line with official sources, the federal government has issued rapid directives to all zonal administrators of the Federal Investigation Company (FIA) to convey the choice to each airline working inbound flights to Pakistan.
A authorities official informed Daybreak that the follow of permitting journey on invalid NICOPs had been happening for a very long time and that it had been determined to cease it with rapid impact.
“Airways ought to be instructed to confirm the validity of NICOPs previous to boarding and refuse carriage to any passenger presenting an invalid, expired or canceled NICOP,” the official mentioned.
He added that passengers touring on a international passport with an expired or in any other case invalid NICOP wouldn’t be allowed to board flights to Pakistan except they held a legitimate Pakistani visa.
The official clarified that the choice was not country-specific and would apply to vacationers arriving from all international locations.
In the meantime, a senior FIA official mentioned the legislation concerning legitimate journey paperwork was already in place and the newest directive was geared toward strict enforcement.
He mentioned the choice had additionally been conveyed to all immigration check-posts to make sure uniformity.
The official added that the transfer would carry journey laws in step with different state providers the place an expired CNIC or NICOP results in suspension of banking, SIM, and property rights.
“The FIA has been tasked with monitoring compliance at airports to make sure airways implement the verification requirement earlier than boarding,” he mentioned.
Whereas the transfer for stricter enforcement has usually been welcomed, many imagine that the federal government ought to guarantee sooner renewal providers at Pakistani missions overseas.
“Many Pakistanis solely understand their NICOP has expired after they’re on the airport,” mentioned Muhammad Riaz Chaudhary, a Pakistani settled in Heidelberg, Germany.
“The federal government ought to present an emergency extension or expedited renewal to keep away from real hardship,” he noticed.
