ISLAMABAD: The government has introduced a new policy enforcing a five-year overseas travel ban on Pakistanis deported from foreign countries, The News reported Thursday.
According to Interior Ministry sources, the restriction will target individuals repatriated due to criminal offenses or other “undesirable” activities, with their names added to a special Passport Control List (PCL) barring them from international travel.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in a written statement to the Senate, formally announced the implementation of the PCL policy. Under the new rules, deported citizens will remain on the list for five years, during which they will be ineligible to obtain a new passport or travel abroad.
The ministry clarified that the five-year ban specifically applies to those deported for illegal actions, criminal charges, or other “undesirable” conduct. The policy also allows for extending the ban beyond five years if a relevant government department submits a formal request with a detailed justification.
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Approved by the federal cabinet, the passport regulations aim to monitor and regulate the activities of citizens with a history of misconduct overseas. The move reflects a stricter governmental approach toward managing individuals returned to Pakistan due to legal or behavioral issues abroad.