15 ‘Pakistani’ deportees turn out to be Iranians

Persons exiled from Bahrain acquired fake documents from Nadra, FIA

KARACHI: In a twist of events, 15 persons who were arrested after travelling to Bahrain on Pakistani documents have now turned out to be Iran nationals.

A fact-finding committee headed by Director General National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) Sindh Mir Ajam Khan Durrani had been set-up after a letter from Bahraini authorities. The panel has concluded the arrested persons are actually citizens of Iran who had acquired fake Pakistani documents after paying heavy bribes to officials at Nadra, relevant passport offices and other government agencies.

Bahrain has deported the suspected ‘Pakistanis’ who were then arrested on arrival by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), however there was a doubt regarding their nationality given their unusually different dialects and looks.



When questioned, the group of men claimed they belonged to different districts of Balochistan including areas like Punjgoor, Turbat, Gwadar, Baleed. The Iranians were also issued fake CNICs in Karachi from different branches, including those located in Lyari, Awami Markaz, DHA Mega Centre and Memon Goth from between 2009 to 2018.

The fact-finding committee further disclosed staff at Nadra, FIA and various district government departments was involved in issuing CNICs and other documents to the Iranian citizens.

Each of the 15 persons paid approximately Rs400,000 in bribe for a CNIC and passport while four of them were also issued fake birth certificates, three were provided with forged medical certificates. The persons also managed to buy fake blood relations.

The investigating team also revealed seven of the arrested persons looked strikingly different than their attesting ‘families’.

Meanwhile, sources had informed the 15 Iranians were also unable to speak any local language including Urdu, Balochi and Pashtu to which the persons said they weren’t asked any such questions when they were being issued the documents

The report recommends all those who facilitated this scheme at any stage and in any way should be grilled.