Afghan nationals were given Pakistani CNICs and passports fraudulently. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
LAHORE:
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has arrested 11 Afghan nationals and an agent from a passport office situated in Garden Town, Lahore, The Express Tribune has learnt.
The FIA had received information through sources that an organisation active in Lahore was involved in helping Afghan nationals get Pakistani CNICs and passports fraudulently, with the connivance of passport office and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) employees. This was done at a cost of between Rs1.5 and Rs2 lacs, a member of the raiding party told The Express Tribune.
After receiving this information, FIA Punjab Director Waqar Haider constituted a special team under the supervision of the Deputy Director FIA Anti Human Trafficking Circle (AHTC) Nasir Jameel Gujjar, who arrested 11 Afghan nationals from Aghanistan’s Paktia province as well as one agent, Liaquat Bhatti, a resident of Kasur .
The raiding party also recovered all the applications of the 11 Afghan nationals for the CNICs and passports. The FIA has hired translators to conduct an initial interrogation, FIA Deputy Director Nasir Jameel said.
A case has been registered with the FIA AHTC Police Station against 13 people – the accused 11 Afghan nationals and two Pakistanis, Bhatti and Amanullah. Two raiding parties have been constituted for the immediate arrest of Amanullah, the ring leader of the racket, according to FIA officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 27th, 2012.
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@Khurram Can you check the policy of gulf countries where expats work for decades but sent packing to home country if they loose their job. Every country has its own rules. Pakistan already did enough for Afghans and we all know that how much they love India than Pakistan even after decades of help.
My two friends were born and raised in Lahore and they spent their 25 years of their life in Lahore and only because their parents are Afghans Pakistani government is not giving them any nationality and this discrimination is out of my Comprehension. In Europe, America and elsewhere in less than 10 years you can get a nationality then why Pakistan have discriminatory laws for giving Pakistani citizenship. In my view any person living upto a specific time in Pakistan must have full rights to claim Pakistani nationality and Pakistani authorities must give them proper respect and also anyone born and bred here in Pakistan should automatically be a Pakistani citizen. I hope atleast parties of Punjab like PMLN and PTI would take this matter and would force government to change the citizenship rules for Afghans who want to take Pakistani nationality or for anyone who want to make Pakistan as their new home.