Pakistan has written a letter to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) expressing reservations over the deportation of Pakistanis residing overseas.

Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan wrote the letter stating Pakistanis residing abroad were deported from European countries, especially Greece, without prior notification or affirmation — a ‘blatant violation of the relevant laws’.

The letter also advised airlines to only issue tickets to those deported citizens whose citizenship status had been confirmed.

Mr Khan said a meeting will be held with European Union Commissioner for Migration on November 23 in which the case will be discussed in detail.

The minister had earlier directed Pakistani diplomatic missions in Europe to demand proof from host governments that wanted to deport Pakistanis on terror charges.

“It is a violation of human rights if any Pakistani is deported on terror charges without any proof. We have to not only give courage to Pakistani expatriates, but also stand by them at every step,” he said.

He warned that airlines carrying deportees back to Pakistan without the interior ministry’s permission or without travel documents would have to pay unspecified fines.