Denmark-funded project “Rights Based Border Management in Silk Route Countries” is transforming Pakistan’s border management by expanding advanced passenger screening and strengthening forensic, information-sharing, and training capacities. Implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development in partnership with the Federal Investigation Agency, the initiative aims to detect identity fraud, improve document verification and risk profiling, and curb irregular migration across multiple international airports and border-related facilities.
The project, financed by Denmark and implemented by ICMPD with close cooperation from Pakistan’s FIA, introduced the Second Line Border Control concept at Islamabad International Airport and has now extended the model to five additional international airports: Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Sialkot and Peshawar. Second Line Offices offer a dedicated space and trained personnel to conduct in-depth document checks and identity assessments beyond initial primary screening.
These Second Line Offices boost FIA officers’ technical capabilities in document verification, identity fraud detection and risk profiling — core functions that help identify high-risk travelers and irregular migration patterns. The enhanced screening environment allows officers to carry out more thorough investigations without disrupting frontline passenger flow.
Beyond airport deployments, the project is investing in upgraded forensic laboratories to support more reliable evidence analysis and investigation. Improvements to information-sharing systems are also being introduced to ensure timely exchange of intelligence between agencies and with international partners. Targeted capacity-building programs aim to make these technical upgrades sustainable by equipping staff with the skills required to operate new systems and procedures.
A visiting delegation, including Denmark’s Regional Migration Attaché Kitty Nielsen and Chargé d’Affaires a.i. Peter Emil Nielsen, along with government officials from Iraq, reviewed the interventions during a program visit. The delegation met with ICMPD and FIA representatives to observe operations and assess the project’s impact on border security and migration management.
Officials say the collaboration demonstrates how international partnerships can modernize border operations while protecting rights and improving security. The combined focus on operational upgrades, forensic capability and staff training is intended to create more efficient, resilient and rights-based border management across Pakistan’s international gateways.
