FIA arrests nine Afghans nationals entering Karachi using fake medical visas

Arrests were made over past three days at Karachi’s Airport as part of a crackdown on visa fraud.

Pakistani authorities have arrested nine Afghan nationals attempting to enter the country using fake medical visas, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said.

The arrests were made over the past three days at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport as part of a crackdown on visa fraud.

According to FIA officials, the Afghan nationals exploited the suspension of Pakistan’s visit visas for Afghan citizens by using forged medical certificates to gain entry under the guise of seeking treatment.

After arriving in Pakistan, many reportedly sought visas from embassies and consulates in Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, intending to travel onward to countries such as the United States and Japan.

The FIA's Anti-Human Trafficking Circle has registered three separate cases—205/2024, 207/2024, and 213/2024—against the individuals sent to jail following court orders.

Officials confirmed that while the visas appeared legitimate, the individuals had entered the country through fraudulent means, constituting a criminal offense.

Earlier on July 12, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested two key members of a gang involved in a massive visa fraud scheme that deceived over 350 citizens.

According to an FIA spokesperson, the suspects, identified as Ghulam Murtaza and Anjum Javed, were apprehended during a raid in Islamabad on Friday.

The suspects, along with their accomplices, orchestrated a fraudulent scheme that promised employment in Greece, swindling innocent citizens out of more than Rs 78 million.

The gang provided fake visas to Greece in exchange for large sums of money. After collecting substantial sums from their victims, the suspects went into hiding.

The FIA urges citizens to verify the authenticity of job offers and visas through official channels to avoid falling prey to such scams.

Earlier on July 6, the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Cell in Rawalpindi conducted a raid on the office of an overseas employment promoter, arresting a suspect allegedly involved in visa fraud.

According to a spokesperson, a team from the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Rawalpindi apprehended Owais Nazir, a human smuggler, at Hashmi Overseas Employment on Murree Road.

Nazir was implicated in both visa fraud and human trafficking. He had collected over Rs.0.63 million from a citizen, promising employment in Bahrain, but failed to deliver and subsequently went into hiding. The police have confirmed Nazir’s arrest and have initiated an investigation into the case.