Does the New Ruling Help You?
An Islamabad High Court ruling says a government agency’s request is not enough, on its own, to put your name on Pakistan’s Passport Control List and keep you off a flight.
It won’t clear your name by itself, though. Below is what the court decided, what to do at the airport, how to protect your ticket and Umrah plans, and how to get your name off the list.
What the Court Decided
The Passport Control List (PCL) is kept by Pakistan’s passport office. Being on it can get your passport blocked and stop you from flying abroad.
- Who ruled: Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas of the Islamabad High Court. The judgment was first reported on 26 September 2026.
- What was struck down: one sentence in Rule 22(2)(b) of the Passport Rules, 2021. It let names go on the Passport Control List “on the recommendations of government agencies or departments.”
- Why: the sentence named no one to decide and gave people no warning, hearing or reasons. The court said it went beyond the Passports Act, 1974, and broke constitutional rights, including freedom of movement.
- What it ordered: the petitioner’s name off the list within 15 days. Copies went to the Interior Secretary, the head of the passport office and the head of the FIA.
- What changes for you: an agency’s recommendation alone no longer holds up. If that’s how you were listed, you now have a court ruling to point to when you ask for removal.
- What stays the same: the Exit Control List, court-ordered travel bans and the other parts of the Passport Control List rules.
The case came from a man stopped at Islamabad International Airport on 18 December 2025 as he left for Umrah in Saudi Arabia. He had a valid passport, visa and ticket, and was given no reason.
The ruling follows a June 2026 Islamabad High Court order against an unlawful PCL listing, and the Lahore High Court’s May order that FIA officers put offloading reasons in writing. Courts are raising the bar for stopping travelers.
People listed this way could find out only at the immigration counter. The ruling could still change: the government can appeal, and in April 2026 the Federal Constitutional Court paused a Lahore High Court ruling on other passport rules.
We found no report of an appeal against this one as of 30 September 2026.
Stopped at the Airport: What to Do Before You Leave
What you collect at the counter decides how easily you can fix this later. Before you walk away:
- Ask for the reason in writing. In May 2026, the Lahore High Court told FIA officers to record why they stop a passenger and hand over the offloading order or form. How far this reaches beyond Punjab is unclear.
- Ask which list, if any, you are on. “Passport Control List” and “Exit Control List” need different fixes.
- Write it all down. Note the date, time, airport, flight number and what the officer said.
- Keep your papers. Hold on to your boarding pass, ticket and any stamp or slip you were given.
- Call your airline straight away. Ideally do this before the flight leaves (see the next section).
- Complain if an officer acted corruptly or unlawfully. The FIA’s online complaint portal asks for your CNIC (national ID card number) and a description of what happened.
Your Ticket and Umrah Visa After an Offload
Don’t count on a refund. Neither of the two airline policies we checked (Air Arabia and Serene Air) promises your money back when Pakistani immigration stops you from flying. Plan as if it were a missed flight.
Act fast. Some fares charge a no-show fee, or cancel the rest of your booking, if you don’t turn up. Call the airline before departure, show any offloading paperwork and ask what your fare allows.
Your Umrah visa may run out. Saudi Arabia announced in October 2025 that an Umrah visa is canceled if you don’t enter within 30 days of issue. The ministry’s FAQ still says three months, so check with Nusuk.
Package money is at risk too. One Nusuk Umrah package we checked says it can’t be canceled or refunded once the visa is issued. Terms vary by package, so read yours, and tell your agent the same day.
How to Ask for Your Name to Be Removed
Write to the Director General, Immigration and Passports. The passport office lists its PCL section at [email protected]. This only helps if an agency’s request was the reason you were listed. Include:
- Your name, father’s name, CNIC and passport number
- When and where you were stopped, and what you were told
- A request to remove your name, citing the Islamabad High Court ruling
- Copies of your CNIC, passport, ticket and any offloading paperwork
Keep copies of everything. We found no official deadline for a reply. If you hear nothing, or are refused without a reason, a lawyer can take it to the High Court, as the man in this case did.
Before You Book Your Next Trip
- No online check yet: we found no official way to look up the PCL or ECL. A TechJuice report says the FIA is finishing an app that would let travelers check they can fly. It hasn’t launched.
- Clear your name first: if you have been stopped before, sort it out before paying for non-refundable flights or an Umrah package.
- Get help before you fly: the FIA has pre-departure facilitation desks at its 11 zonal offices to help with immigration rules and documents.
- Flying for work: you’ll also need a protector stamp for work abroad.
- Going for Umrah: see our guide to the Umrah visa from Pakistan.
Once your name is off the list, compare fares from Pakistan to Jeddah on Wego.
Questions
Is my name removed from the Passport Control List automatically?
No. The court ordered only the name of the man who brought the case removed. If you think you were listed because an agency asked, write to the passport office for removal and mention the ruling.
Can I check whether I’m on the list before I book?
We found no official online check. You can write to the passport office and ask. An FIA pre-departure desk helps with documents, but we found nothing saying it can confirm list status.
Will I get my ticket money back if I’m offloaded?
Possibly not. The airline policies we checked don’t promise a refund in this case. Call the airline before the flight leaves, show any offloading paperwork and ask what your fare allows.
What happens to my Umrah visa if I miss the trip?
Saudi Arabia said in October 2025 it is canceled if you don’t enter within 30 days of issue; the ministry’s FAQ still says three months. One Nusuk package we checked can’t be refunded after the visa is issued.
Is the Passport Control List the same as the Exit Control List?
No. The Passport Control List is run by the passport office, and the Exit Control List by the Ministry of Interior. This ruling covers only the Passport Control List.
Sources
- Pakera, the Islamabad High Court ruling, the removed rule wording and appeal status, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- TechJuice, the petitioner’s case and the 15-day removal order, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- ThePenPK, the constitutional rights involved and the 18 December 2025 offloading, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Media Bites, the June 2026 Islamabad High Court PCL ruling, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- MM News, the Lahore High Court’s May 2026 offloading guidelines, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Capital News Point, the April 2026 order pausing the Lahore ruling and the PCL power to block passports, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Gulf News, the 30-day Umrah visa entry rule, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Ministry of Hajj and Umrah FAQ, the three-month entry wording, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Nusuk Umrah terms of use, cancellation terms set per package, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Nusuk Umrah package page, no refund once the visa is issued, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Air Arabia conditions of carriage, refusal of carriage and no-show rules, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Serene Air refund policy, no-show charges, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Pakera, what the FIA online complaint form asks for, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- Directorate General of Immigration and Passports contact page, the PCL section email, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- TechJuice, FIA pre-departure facilitation desks, retrieved 30 September 2026.
- TechJuice, the planned FIA e-immigration app, retrieved 30 September 2026.
How this guide was put together
- The ruling is described from press reports of the judgment, not from the judgment text itself.
- Refund advice is based on published airline rules. None of them covered being stopped by Pakistani immigration, so check your own fare.
- This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
