FIA officer's accomplice arrested in $2,000 bribe case

The accomplice is accused of record tampering after demanding bribes for immigration clearance

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Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle has arrested a shipping agent, an accomplice of an FIA officer, in a case involving a $2,000 bribe for the clearance of a foreign ship’s crew.

The arrested agent, identified as Nadeem Awan, allegedly prepared forged documents, including letters of credit, altered technician cadres, and fabricated emails, to facilitate the clearance of technicians aboard the ship, Express News reported.

The incident unfolded at Port Qasim, where two FIA immigration officers demanded $4,000 from the vessel’s captain to clear eight technicians.

According to FIA officials, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Attaullah Memon was at the centre of the scandal, blackmailing the ship’s captain and ultimately accepting $2,000 to tamper with official records.

The investigation revealed that Awan provided falsified documentation to assist in the clearance process.

The case has raised serious concerns about corruption and abuse of authority within immigration procedures at Port Qasim.

The FIA has intensified its crackdown on such practices, with both Memon and Awan now facing legal action. Further investigations are underway to identify any additional individuals involved in the scam.

Previously, it was reported that FIA officer were arrested for allegedly taking a $2,000 bribe from eight Romanian technicians aboard a foreign vessel at Port Qasim.

Attaullah Memon, the former in-charge of FIA Immigration at Port Qasim, reportedly demanded $4,000 from the ship's agent but settled for half the amount. The clearance, facilitated in violation of immigration laws, allowed the technicians to work on the ship, which had travelled from India's Mundra Port to Karachi.

The alleged bribery involved tampering with official records to secure clearance. Memon was assisted by Zohaib, another FIA staff member.

According to international immigration regulations, technicians on vessels have designated permissions for onboard work without such illicit payments.