Lahore High Court Mandates Written Reasons For Passenger Offloading

On February 28, 2026, the Lahore High Court (LHC) mandated that immigration authorities must provide written justifications whenever a passenger is offloaded from an international flight. This ruling emerged from the case of Muhammad Soban and Ali Raza, who were removed from a flight to Kuala Lumpur on December 24, 2025, despite holding valid travel documents. Justice Raheel Kamran emphasized that the right to travel is a fundamental civil liberty protected under Article 15 of the Constitution, stating, "Even preventive actions must align with due process mandates as outlined in Article 10-A of the Constitution." The court highlighted that the absence of documented reasons undermines transparency and opens the door to arbitrary decision-making, which could violate passengers' rights. The ruling requires immigration officials to record specific reasons for offloading and provide them to the affected passengers promptly, ensuring compliance with constitutional safeguards and due process requirements (ProPakistani, Dawn).