Five Pakistani nationals were deported from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), after authorities discovered they were attempting to enter the United Kingdom on fake visas, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said on Saturday.

The incident has once again highlighted the growing need for a strong Pakistan fake visa crackdown, especially as illegal travel attempts continue to rise.

According to the FIA spokesperson, the passengers were sent back to Pakistan after Sharjah authorities detected the forged visas during immigration checks. The individuals, who had earlier travelled from Lahore to Malaysia this year on visit visas, were immediately detained upon landing at Lahore Airport. They have now been transferred to the FIA Anti-Human Smuggling Circle in Lahore, where a formal investigation is underway.

Officials say that initial findings suggest the fake UK visas were arranged by human smuggling agents who specialise in preparing counterfeit documents. The FIA has intensified efforts to trace and arrest the facilitators behind this network as part of a broader Pakistan fake visa crackdown.

The deportations come just a day after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi introduced a new artificial intelligence-based application designed to combat illegal immigration and expose fake travel documents. Speaking during a meeting with Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Naqvi said the app would help identify “who is fit to travel and who is not,” ensuring better security and safeguarding Pakistan’s international reputation.

He reiterated that zero tolerance would be shown toward fake visas, agent mafias, and anyone attempting to exploit loopholes in the immigration system. The government believes the AI initiative will strengthen immigration reforms, protect citizens, and curb the rising trend of human smuggling.