Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has uncovered organized illegal migration networks that use visit and study visas to move Pakistani nationals toward Europe through transit countries such as Dubai, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia.

Briefing a parliamentary committee, FIA officials said many migrants initially travel legally on visit or student visas before attempting to reach Europe through irregular routes. One commonly identified route involves traveling to Thailand and then illegally crossing into Cambodia, while other networks reportedly use Malaysia as a transit hub.

The FIA noted that many first-time travelers from districts including Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin appear to have limited knowledge of their destinations, finances, or travel plans, suggesting the involvement of organized facilitators and human-smuggling networks.

Officials also revealed that Cambodian authorities have reported arrests of Pakistani nationals involved in illegal border crossings. The agency said it is maintaining close surveillance of human-smuggling operations and reviews immigration trends and enforcement actions through reports compiled every 15 days.