Passport touts' network busted in Rawalpindi

FIA says suspects charged citizens for 'priority' processing in collusion with staff

RAWALPINDI:

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad claimed on Wednesday to have arrested three suspects during a targeted operation against touts and an alleged agents' network operating outside the G-10 Passport Office, accused of charging citizens for emergency and priority passport processing in collusion with a passport office official.

According to FIA officials, the operation was launched after FIA Islamabad Zone Director Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari received intelligence regarding the organised network. A raid conducted by the Anti-Corruption Circle exposed the alleged racket and led to the arrest of three suspects. A case has been registered and investigations are under way.

Officials said the prime suspect, Muhammad Muzammil, was arrested at the scene. During preliminary questioning, he allegedly disclosed that he charged Rs20,000 per case to arrange priority passport processing for citizens, particularly those from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), using fake Islamabad residential addresses.

Acting on his information, FIA officials arrested two more suspects, Naseer Ahmed and Muhammad Tasawur.

Forensic examination of the suspects' mobile phones allegedly revealed that Naseer forwarded applicants' token numbers to a passport office official, identified as Raza, via WhatsApp. In return, the official allegedly provided box identification numbers to facilitate priority processing of passport applications.

The investigation further found that the passport office official allegedly received substantial payments for each case through an Easypaisa account, establishing what investigators described as a clear money trail linking him directly to the alleged criminal network.

Following the registration of a case under the relevant legal provisions, the suspects were produced before a court, which granted the FIA a two-day physical remand for further investigation.

Officials said the role of passport office employee Raza and any other individuals allegedly involved would be determined during the course of the investigation. Further investigation is under way.

FIA Islamabad Zone Director Shehzad Nadeem Bukhari urged citizens to obtain government services directly from the relevant departments rather than through touts or agents.