Petition Filed in Lahore High Court Against FIA for Offloading 60-Year-Old Woman Traveling to Bangladesh

Lahore | Nazrana Times
Report: Ali Imran Chattha
 

A petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) over the alleged illegal offloading of a 60-year-old woman from a flight bound for Bangladesh at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore.

The petition was submitted by Advocate Ali Changazi Sindhu on behalf of Razia Bibi, who claims she was stopped by FIA immigration officials without being given any lawful reason and was not allowed to board the aircraft.

According to the petitioner’s counsel, Razia Bibi was abducted from Bangladesh nearly 40 years ago, brought to Karachi via India, and allegedly sold. She later married in Pakistan and currently holds Pakistani citizenship.

The lawyer stated that Razia Bibi recently reconnected with her family in Bangladesh through social media. Her elderly and ailing mother expressed a final wish to meet her. Despite severe financial hardship, Razia Bibi managed to arrange travel expenses by raising and selling chickens and goats to purchase an air ticket.
However, upon reaching the airport after four decades of separation, FIA officials offloaded her from the flight, resulting in the loss of her ticket and denying her the chance to meet her mother.

Petition Demands
The petition urges the Lahore High Court to:
• Declare the FIA’s action illegal and unjust
• Order reimbursement of the wasted air ticket
• Initiate legal action against the responsible FIA officials
Advocate Sindhu criticized FIA’s offloading practices, stating that many Pakistanis are stopped from traveling merely on suspicion. He said preventing an elderly woman from traveling without explanation reflects a serious misuse of authority.
The Lahore High Court has been requested to seek an explanation from FIA and take appropriate legal action.