FIA Bars Offloading on Verbal Orders: What Passengers Can Ask For at Pakistan Airports

Short answer: The FIA has reportedly issued Standing Order 07/2026, which stops immigration officers from offloading an outgoing passenger on a verbal instruction alone. Each decision is to be written, supported by a record and logged in the FIA's border system. The order text itself is not on the FIA website, so treat the details as reported.

A passenger stands at the counter with a ticket, a visa and a bag. An officer says "step aside" and nothing more. No paper is handed over. Within minutes the flight has gone, and the passenger has no record of why. That scene is what this order is reported to change.

We read the FIA homepage on 13 October 2026 for its complaint channels. We could not find the order itself there. What follows about the order is reported, and we mark it as reported each time.

The order reportedly ends verbal offloading

Reports dated 12 October 2026 say the FIA issued Standing Order 07/2026 for airports, seaports and dry ports. It bars officials from offloading outbound passengers through verbal instructions alone, and it took effect at once.

The same reports say the order is 12 pages long and replaces instructions from 2005 and overrides earlier guidance that conflicts with it. A standing order is an internal instruction. It binds FIA staff, but it is not a law passed by parliament.

The reported design has four parts:

1. An offloading decision must be written, not spoken.
2. The decision is tied to a digital record in the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS), the FIA's own travel record database.
3. Screening is risk based, meaning officers are meant to question passengers who show specific warning signs, not everyone.
4. Each officer's responsibility is spelled out, and the order is to be reviewed from time to time.

What is reported and what is confirmed

Only one thing is confirmed by us: the FIA has an online complaint portal and two phone numbers on its homepage. The order, its number and its date come from press reports. We have not seen the FIA's own copy.

That matters because small details change what a passenger can demand. A report can say "written order" while the order itself may say "recorded in IBMS", which is not the same as a paper in your hand.

The court has already asked for reasons in writing

The Lahore High Court is reported to have issued guidelines in May 2026. They say officers must record meaningful reasons before offloading a passenger, note the questions and answers, and give the passenger a copy of the offloading order or proforma where possible.

So the new standing order does not arrive alone. A court direction and an FIA instruction now point the same way. We have not read the judgment, so we do not quote its wording.

Earlier reports also spoke of a Standing Order 02/2026 that offered written reasons and an appeal to zonal grievance committees. We could not check that either. Ask the officer to name the order they are acting under, and note what they say.

What to ask for if you are stopped

Stay calm, stay polite and ask for the reason and the order in writing. You cannot force the answer at the counter. But a calm request, with names and times noted, is the strongest record you can make.

1. Ask which order or rule is being used to stop you.
2. Ask for the decision in writing, with the officer's name and number.
3. Photograph your ticket, boarding pass, passport and visa at the counter.
4. Write down the time, the counter and the questions asked.
5. Complain the same day, with the photos and notes attached.

The steps for what to carry are in our checklist to avoid being offloaded at a Pakistani airport. Read it before you go, not after.

Where to complain to the FIA

The FIA homepage lists an online complaint portal at complaint.fia.gov.pk, the email complaints@fia.gov.pk and two helplines: 1991 and 051-111-345-786. Use the portal first, because it leaves a record with a number.

Give your CNIC or passport number, flight number, date, airport and the officer's details if you have them. Attach photos of your papers. Overseas Pakistanis can also use the OPF airport facilitation desks, which list numbers for ten airports.

A person who is on an exit control list is a different case. How to check that is set out in the guide on passport office counters and the ECL check.

Common questions

Can the FIA still offload a passenger?

Yes. Reports say the order changes how it is done, not whether it can be done. Decisions must be written and recorded.

Is Standing Order 07/2026 a law?

No. A standing order is an internal FIA instruction. It guides officers and can be reviewed by the FIA, and courts can still look at what officers do.

Will I get a paper copy of the offloading order?

Not confirmed. Reports say decisions are written and recorded in IBMS. The Lahore High Court is reported to have asked for a copy to be given to the passenger.

How do I complain about being offloaded?

Use the FIA online complaint portal, write to complaints@fia.gov.pk, or call 1991 or 051-111-345-786. Attach photos of your papers and your notes.

Does the order apply to incoming passengers?

Reports describe it as covering outbound passengers who are offloaded. They do not say it changes checks on arrival.

Should I carry extra papers now?

Yes, the same papers as before. A written decision does not remove the need for a visa, a return ticket, proof of stay and a clear reason for travel.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the FIA homepage for its complaint portal, email and helplines. The standing order number, date and contents, the Lahore High Court guidelines and Standing Order 02/2026 come from press reports. We could not read the FIA's own copy of any of them, so we have not quoted wording from the orders.