Illegal visa facilitation network busted

FIA arrests foreign national, two officials; recovers Rs20m in cash

RAWALPINDI:

The Anti-Corruption Unit of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Islamabad Zone has uncovered an alleged network involved in taking bribes from foreign nationals accused of violating visa restrictions and engaging in illegal activities through call and digital centres in the federal capital.

The FIA arrested a Chinese national and two officials from the Immigration and Passports Department (IMPASS) and the Islamabad Police's Special Protection Unit (SPU), recovering Rs20 million in cash and other documents, sources said. A case has been registered against the three suspects.

The network allegedly provided immigration clearance and facilitated the movement and activities of foreign nationals in return for financial payments. There are also allegations that officials of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) were paid a monthly sum to protect foreign nationals engaged in illegal activities.

The development follows revelations allegedly made by some foreign nationals arrested in Islamabad during investigations by the FIA's Anti-Human Trafficking Cell. The suspects reportedly disclosed the existence of an organised network involving officials of FIA Immigration, Immigration and Passports and the Islamabad Police's SPU.

According to the source report prepared by the Anti-Human Trafficking Cell, Chinese national Xiao Jingping, alias Jack/Jason, made further disclosures on August 15. He allegedly revealed that Immigration and Passports official Junaid Mughal and SPU official Zafar Iqbal, in collusion with other individuals, facilitated immigration clearance for foreign passengers in exchange for Rs80,000 per passenger.

The allegations were reportedly corroborated by WhatsApp conversations and payment receipts found on the mobile phone of one of the suspects.

Following the revelations, FIA Islamabad Zone Director Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari formed a raiding team headed by Anti-Corruption Cell Assistant Director Umar Arsalan and Inspector Raja Faheem, along with other officials, and ordered action against those allegedly involved.

The FIA team raided the residence of Junaid Mughal, an official posted with Immigration and Passports, in Ghori Town, Islamabad, and arrested him. During an initial investigation, officials allegedly recovered WhatsApp chats and other evidence of communications and payments involving Xiao, Zafar and other individuals from Mughal's mobile phone.

According to the FIA, Mughal disclosed that he had allegedly received bribes from Xiao for facilitating the release of foreign nationals arrested from Sparco Plaza in Gulberg Greens, Islamabad, as well as for previously providing immigration-clearance services.