Holders of invalid, expired NICOPs barred from boarding flights to Pakistan: official

Pakistan has implemented a strict new rule barring individuals with invalid, expired, or canceled National Identity Cards for Overseas Pakistanis (NICOP) from boarding flights to the country. Official sources confirmed that immediate directives have been issued to all zonal directors of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

These directives instruct the FIA to communicate the decision to every airline operating inbound flights to Pakistan. The goal is to enforce the validity of NICOPs at the point of boarding, preventing passengers with outdated documents from traveling.

A government official highlighted that allowing travel on invalid NICOPs had been a persistent issue. The decision to halt this practice is effective immediately. Airlines are now required to verify NICOP validity before allowing passengers to board, refusing carriage to anyone presenting an invalid, expired, or canceled card. Passengers holding foreign passports but possessing an expired or otherwise invalid NICOP will only be permitted to board if they hold a valid P-card.

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Airlines should be instructed to verify the validity of NICOPs prior to boarding and refuse carriage to any passenger presenting an invalid, expired or cancelled NICOP.