Visa scam unraveled as FIA arrests suspects linked to migrant smuggling

FIA arrests two suspects for their alleged role in migrant-smuggling racket

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Immigration and Anti-Human Smuggling Cells claimed on Sunday to have arrested four suspects in two separate operations for attempting to travel abroad through unlawful means, including the use of forged documents, fake residency cards and other migrant-smuggling channels.

Investigations have been initiated against all four individuals.

According to officials, two members of an organised visa-fraud and migrant-smuggling network were apprehended on the identification of the American Embassy.

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FIA Immigration officers at Islamabad International Airport off-loaded and detained two outgoing passengers — Hasnain Azhar and Muhammad Atif — for attempting to travel abroad using fraudulent documentation.

Azhar allegedly sought to enter Portugal on a fake Portuguese resident card, while Atif was reportedly in contact with agents for illegal entry into Europe.

Both men have been transferred to the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle in Islamabad for further action and identification of their agents, where investigations remain ongoing.

Separately, the FIA Anti-Human Trafficking Circle arrested two further suspects — Tahir Shehbaz and Rab Nawaz — from Islamabad for their alleged role in a visa-fraud and migrant-smuggling racket.

The suspects are accused of charging citizens large sums of money and attempting to dispatch at least 12 individuals to the United States through forged documents.

Officials said that the arrests were made following information provided by the American Embassy. Further investigations have begun, while raids are underway to apprehend two additional accomplices.