Authorities have said that around 7,000 Pakistanis who travelled to Azerbaijan on visit visas have not returned to Pakistan, raising concerns about visa overstays and irregular migration trends.
This information was shared during a briefing to a parliamentary committee, where officials highlighted growing concerns over people overstaying their permitted travel duration.
They said that work is underway to improve monitoring and tracking systems for people travelling abroad.
The government is also reviewing immigration procedures and coordination between travel and border authorities to prevent misuse of visit visas.
Officials said similar systems are already used in countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey to ensure visa compliance.
They added that these countries use advanced tracking mechanisms to make sure visitors follow visa rules and return within allowed time limits.
The issue has been discussed at the parliamentary level as part of broader efforts to control irregular migration and strengthen border management.
Authorities said Pakistan is planning further reforms to improve data sharing between agencies and ensure better tracking of outbound passengers.
These steps are aimed at reducing visa overstays and ensuring better compliance with international travel regulations in the future.
Weak oversight of travel records has raised concerns among officials, who believe stronger digital systems and closer coordination between departments are necessary. They said the focus will remain on preventing misuse of visit visas while protecting legitimate travellers and supporting lawful international mobility.
They expect improved systems will help reduce overstays and strengthen Pakistan’s overall immigration management framework in coming years across all major travel routes and airports
