RAWALPINDI: The immigration and passports director general has asked the police chiefs of all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir to refer names of individuals who need to be retained immediately to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to prevent them from leaving the country.

The official has asked them to only refer the names of individuals who are to be placed on a blacklist through the Integrated Border Management System (IBMS) to be routed through the concerned home department.

Sources said an assistant director of the blacklist cell has told police chiefs that a number of cases were received from district and city police officers and superintendents of police to place the names of accused individuals on the blacklist immediately to prevent them from leaving the country.

The authorities said such recommendations to place someone on the blacklist through the IBMS should be routed through the concerned home department.

Cases were the immediate retention of individuals is required may be referred to the FIA to place their names on the Provincial Nationality Identity List (PNIL), a watchlist introduced by the agency at all immigration desks.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2020