Thailand Cracks Down on Travel Document Fraud Amidst Rising Human Trafficking Concerns

Thailand has implemented strict measures against Pakistanis traveling on forged documents. This move comes after a recent incident involving counterfeit visas. Additionally, Pakistan's FIA has issued a travel advisory to combat human trafficking, focusing on specific countries and airlines, emphasizing the need for authentic documentation.

Thailand has intensified its scrutiny over travelers using forged documents from Pakistan, as announced by ARY News. The Thai Consulate in Karachi has rolled out updated e-visa application guidelines, underlining the necessity of genuine documentation. Individuals or agencies found falsifying documents face severe penalties, including blacklisting.

This development follows an October episode where Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) detained two individuals at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport. These individuals attempted to travel with counterfeit visas. One suspect, Umme Salma, sought to fly to Iraq with a fake visa, while Nazar Abbas aimed for the Turks and Caicos Islands with fraudulent visas, ARY News detailed.

For the first time in two decades, the FIA has issued a travel advisory to counter human trafficking, as reported by The Express Tribune. The advisory instructs enhanced monitoring of passengers from specific countries and key Pakistani cities, amid concerns over transit hubs facilitating human trafficking to Europe.

The target nations for this increased oversight include Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Senegal, and several others. Travelers aged 15-40 on FlyDubai and Ethiopian Airlines are under scrutiny. The advisory results from analyzing data over several months and emphasizes monitoring passengers from specific Pakistani regions and cities.

(With inputs from agencies.)