FIA arrests blacklisted American national from Islamabad airport

Despite being blacklisted by Pakistani authorities in 2011 Mathew succeeded in obtaining a visa

RAWALPINDI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday arrested a blacklisted American national at Benazir Bhutto International Airport, Rawalpindi.

Despite being blacklisted by Pakistani authorities in 2011, Mathew Barret, an American national succeeded in getting a visa for Pakistan. However, he was arrested by FIA officials upon his arrival in Rawalpindi.



While FIA sources confirmed the arrest, they refused to share details of the case terming it 'confidential'. According to reports, Mathew was earlier deported from the country on grounds of alleged spying.

In June, a man bearing a fake national identity card was arrested from Benazir Bhutto International Airport. The suspect, Zaabit Gul, was pulled from a Saudi Arabia-bound flight for possessing a fake Pakistani NIC and Pakistani passport.



The arrest was made on a tip-off by the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Gul was shifted to Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Anti Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) for further investigation.