Overseas Pakistanis flying from any country barred from boarding with expired or invalid NICOPs

Overseas Pakistanis, flying from any country, will no longer be allowed to board flights to Pakistan using an expired, cancelled or otherwise invalid National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP), Dawn reported, citing official directives issued to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Officials said the rule applies to travellers arriving from all countries and is not limited to any particular destination.

All FIA zonal directors have been instructed to inform airlines operating inbound flights that NICOP validity must be checked before passengers are allowed to board.

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Passengers travelling on foreign passports with an invalid NICOP will need a valid Pakistani visa to enter the country.

Dawn cited a senior FIA official as saying the requirement for valid travel documents already existed, but the latest instructions were aimed at ensuring uniform enforcement by airlines and immigration check-posts.

The FIA has also been directed to monitor compliance at airports and ensure carriers reject passengers who do not have valid documentation.

Officials said the change aligns travel rules with other state services, where expiry of a CNIC or Nicop can affect access to banking, mobile SIM and property-related services.

The stricter enforcement has also prompted calls for Pakistani missions abroad to improve and accelerate NICOP renewal services.