FIA busts huge degrees, documents mill

Significant headway has been made in the case of fraudulent education consultants, with the recent arrest of five additional suspects, including a prominent government official.

Revelations from the arrested men indicate a sophisticated operation in which more than 250 people were facilitated in obtaining forged documents for a fee ranging from Rs1 to 2 million each. These documents were forged under the guise of Karachi University, Higher Education Commission, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The deputy director of the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking, Ali Murad, disclosed that a raid in Gulshan Iqbal, acting on a tip-off, led to the arrest of fake education consultants involved in orchestrating the illegal migration of students through forged documentation.

Initially, four suspects were detained, but subsequent investigations led to the arrest of five more, one of whom is a government employee. The suspects specialised in forging educational certificates and visas, primarily catering to students aspiring for higher education opportunities abroad, particularly in Australia. These students hailed from various regions of Karachi and Punjab.

It has been uncovered that the group had deployed sophisticated machinery to counterfeit documents, ensuring they met the necessary standards for international scrutiny. They provided counterfeit degrees, mark sheets, and foreign ministry documents on a big scale. The suspects admitted to having sent over 250 people overseas, charging huge sums ranging from Rs1 to 1.5 million, with some cases reaching Rs2 million per victim.

Their modus operandi involved the fabrication of documents to secure admissions and visas for students in various foreign universities. Ali Murad emphasised that the investigation is ongoing, with further arrests anticipated. Authorities are also scrutinising the bank accounts linked to the accused, suspecting their authenticity. Following a comprehensive inquiry, recommendations will be put forth regarding the regulation of educational consultancy services.

The uncovering of this fraudulent operation underscores the critical need for vigilant oversight within the education consultancy sector to safeguard the aspirations and futures of students pursuing legitimate opportunities abroad.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2024.