Islamabad: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has handed over border management equipment and transport vehicles to Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in a ceremony held at the FIA Headquarters in Islamabad. This event marked the completion of a four-year project funded by the Government of Japan, aimed at improving Pakistan’s border management capabilities.
According to the Embassy of Japan in Pakistan, the ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan, Akamatsu Shuichi, IOM Pakistan’s Chief of Mission, Mio Sato, FIA Director General, Dr. Usman Anwar, and representatives from the Embassy of Japan, IOM, and FIA. The equipment delivery is part of IOM’s extensive support to the Government of Pakistan in enhancing migration governance, promoting safe migration, and bolstering protection-sensitive responses to human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
The equipment provided includes biometric, IT, security, surveillance, communication, and solar systems, distributed across 21 FIA operational points nationwide. Additionally, it supports the FIA’s National Command and Control Centre at Headquarters, designed to improve coordinated responses to transnational crime. IOM also delivered three transport vans, stationed at international airports in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore, to ensure the dignified handling of returning migrants.
The project included investments in institutional capacity, such as the refurbishment of the FIA Training Academy, completed in March 2026. With upgraded IT infrastructure and improved training facilities, the Academy is set to offer a modernized learning environment for new recruits and existing officers, training around 1,000 officers annually.
Furthermore, over 150 FIA officials received training on rights- and gender-based border management approaches, investigation techniques, and biometric verification. The initiative also developed a sustainable pool of master trainers within FIA, including women, to strengthen capacity-building efforts. Training sessions on victim identification and referral were conducted for over 200 participants, comprising FIA officials, provincial police, and civil society representatives, with women representing more than half of the attendees.
Dr. Usman Anwar, Director General of FIA, highlighted the importance of international cooperation in tackling complex migration and border management issues. Ambassador Akamatsu expressed Japan’s commitment to supporting strong and humane border management institutions. Mio Sato, Chief of Mission of IOM Pakistan, emphasized the project’s role in enhancing national security and regional cooperation through improved border management systems.
The ceremony concluded with Ambassador Akamatsu visiting the FIA’s National Command and Control Centre, where he was briefed on its operational role. IOM and FIA expressed gratitude to the Government of Japan for its ongoing support in migration governance and praised the FIA for its leadership throughout the project’s implementation.